There are now 746 suspected cases and over 176 deaths reported in the DRC from the Ebola outbreak. The epicentre is in Ituri Province, which already has a complex humanitarian environment, with approximately 1.9 million people in need of humanitarian assistance.
ActionAid has been running programmes in the affected Ituri province for years, with ActionAid teams and local partners already on the ground and coordinating an emergency response focused on women and girls who are most at risk of the disease, as they take on caregiving responsibilities at home.
Desperate need for protective equipment
ActionAid has conducted a rapid needs assessment in Ituri province, following the recent outbreak of the Ebola virus, and found that 83% of schools have no Ebola-specific handwashing or hygiene stations, in 78% of the schools there is no Personal Protective Equipment available and disturbingly, nearly one third of schools have already registered at least one suspected Ebola case or close contact.
“What we have seen in the 12 communities of Nyankunde, Nizi and Bunia Health is a desperate situation characterised by low levels of awareness of the disease, missing protective infrastructure, and severe service disruption in health centres and schools,” said Dr Saani Yakubu, ActionAid’s DRC Country Director.
Panza*, a member of the Parents’ Committee in schools from Nyankunde, highlighted the growing fear among school staff and parents. “Our teachers are afraid,” she said. “They are coming to school without any protection. If a child comes in sick, we do not know what to do. We are asking for help on what to do, as well as the tools to protect our children.”
Women being hit hardest by Ebola
The assessment conducted by ActionAid also revealed women’s heightened vulnerability to contracting the disease. 82% of women interviewed by ActionAid reported providing primary caregiving to sick family members, exposing them disproportionately to infection risk. This is worsened because they do not have protective equipment or training on handling patients.
“We are dealing with a ticking time bomb in schools and communities… How can we contain an epidemic when the teachers and mothers at home are ill-equipped and barely informed on handling the disease?” said Saani.
“There is an urgent need for funding to set up hygiene infrastructure, deliver targeted Ebola awareness that dispels dangerous stigma being peddled, and provide direct protection support for women and girls who are carrying the heaviest burden of this crisis.”
Combating Ebola misinformation
As healthcare professionals and local authorities in the DRC battle to contain the spread of the deadly Ebola virus, ActionAid has heard from community members in Ituri narrating how myths and misinformation about the disease are hampering efforts.
According to a rapid needs assessment conducted by ActionAid DRC in Ituri province, misinformation and denial remain widespread. “In the community, people can’t bring themselves to believe in this disease,” Ngone Ngobba Jean Claude, a resident of Lita, told ActionAid. “Some call it a satanic disease, while others believe it was invented to make money. Others say that doctors are lying, while others believe that taking strong alcoholic drinks makes them immune [to infection].”
The inadequate sensitisation at the community level has also led to paranoia among some people. Aime Lotsove, a woman from Lita, a member of the Women’s Group, said, “there are a lot of rumors here about diseases. Some say Ebola doesn’t exist, others say Ebola was created.”
ActionAid’s team in DRC is working hard to conduct awareness-raising sessions in the communities to debunk myths and misinformation. These sessions are being held to help people better understand the risks, reduce fears and misinformation, as well as encourage protective behaviour in line with the guidelines provided. “We are not just fighting a deadly virus, we are fighting myths, fear and deep-seated suspicion,” says Saani.
How you can support ActionAid respond to Ebola in DRC
The Ebola outbreak, which was declared on 15 May 2026, is expected to continue for several months, as there is no known vaccine or treatment for the virus. Preventing the spread of the disease is a key priority for ActionAid DRC as the outbreak is expected to significantly impact its operations in Ituri.
The current outbreak requires a rapid, coordinated response anchored on swift case detection and community engagement to address myths and misinformation that are prominent in some parts of the affected communities.
Preventing the spread of infection is vital. Please make a donation today so you can support ActionAid to:
- Distribute kits and protective gear to communities to reduce the spread of infection.
- Install handwashing stations and hand sanitiser in public spaces.
- Rollout Ebola awareness and prevention training for parents and teachers.
- Set up health screening sites to monitor infection spread.