Armed men have taken control of a hospital in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, and a six-year-old boy being treated for Ebola has disappeared from the facility, officials said on Wednesday. The incident occurred in the city of Beni, a region that has been plagued by militia violence and a recent resurgence of the Ebola virus.
The raid on the hospital, which is operated by the non-governmental organisation Doctors Without Borders, began late on Tuesday. Witnesses reported hearing gunfire as the assailants broke into the isolation ward where the boy was being treated. The child had tested positive for Ebola and was receiving care in a high-containment unit.
Doctors Without Borders confirmed that its staff had been forced to evacuate the facility. "Our teams are safe, but we are deeply concerned for the patient who has gone missing," a spokesperson said. The organisation added that it was working with local health authorities to locate the boy and to ensure the safety of other patients who were moved during the raid.
The Congolese government condemned the attack and said it was investigating. "We will not tolerate any violence against medical personnel or facilities," said a statement from the health ministry. The ministry also warned that the disappearance of the Ebola patient posed a significant public health risk, as the virus is highly contagious and can be fatal without prompt treatment.
This latest incident underscores the challenges facing efforts to contain the Ebola outbreak in North Kivu province, which has already claimed over 2,000 lives since August 2018. The region is also a hotbed of armed conflict, with dozens of militia groups operating in the area. Health workers have frequently been targeted, and several Ebola treatment centres have been attacked in the past.
The World Health Organization has expressed alarm at the developments. "This is a tragic setback in our battle against Ebola," said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the WHO director-general. "We call on all parties to ensure the safety of health workers and patients and to allow uninterrupted access to care."
The boy's family has been notified, and a search is under way. It remains unclear whether he was taken by the raiders or fled during the chaos. The hospital has been closed for the foreseeable future, and nearby health centres have been placed on high alert.
International observers have urged the Congolese government to take decisive action to protect medical missions. The United Nations peacekeeping mission in the country, MONUSCO, has offered support, but its forces have been stretched thin by the vast security demands in the region.
The disappearance of an Ebola patient is a worst-case scenario for epidemiologists, who have been racing to contain the virus through contact tracing and vaccination campaigns. The outbreak has already spread to neighbouring Uganda, where several cases were reported earlier this year.
As night fell over Beni, the search for the boy continued. Health officials warn that every hour he remains missing increases the likelihood of a wider outbreak. The world watches, hoping this six-year-old can be found before fear and conflict undo years of progress against one of humanity's deadliest diseases.
