UNS: The World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed that 75 healthcare workers in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have contracted Ebola since the onset of the current outbreak, with 17 reported fatalities—underscoring the severe toll on frontline medical personnel and the fragility of the country’s healthcare infrastructure.
Speaking at a press briefing, WHO Emergencies Director Marie-Roslyn Pellesier said the virus is believed to have been circulating for months before the first officially reported cases were confirmed on May 15, allowing silent transmission within communities and healthcare settings before detection.
She noted that many healthcare workers were likely exposed during this undetected phase of transmission, when surveillance systems were not yet fully activated and response measures had not been implemented at scale.
Pellesier further highlighted that chronic shortages of essential protective equipment—including gloves, masks, and other infection-prevention supplies—have significantly increased the risk of infection among medical staff working on the front lines.
She stressed that the DRC continues to face a critical shortage of healthcare personnel, with an estimated ratio of only 11 health workers per 10,000 people, leaving the system overstretched and vulnerable during recurrent epidemics such as Ebola.
In response to the outbreak, the WHO confirmed that international assistance is being mobilised, with China and Uganda deploying medical teams to support local health authorities in containment, surveillance, and patient care operations.
The UN agency also reported the provision of psychological support services for healthcare workers, many of whom have expressed heightened anxiety following infections and fatalities among their colleagues.
Describing the situation, Pellesier said the losses among medical personnel represent a “heavy price” being paid by the health system, warning that continued strain on frontline workers could undermine efforts to contain the outbreak and protect vulnerable populations.
