The dead are piling up in Congo's eastern provinces, and for many families the traditional rituals of mourning have become a death sentence. This week, the World Health Organization launched a 'safe grief' training programme in the city of Beni, designed to teach communities how to bury their loved ones without contracting the Ebola virus. But for some, the lessons come too late.
Martha Kavira, a 34-year-old mother of three, buried her father on Monday and her mother on Tuesday, both victims of the outbreak. 'The nurses wrapped them in plastic. We could not touch them,' she said, her voice barely a whisper.
'Our ancestors will not rest.' The training, which covers proper handling of bodies and the use of protective equipment, is part of a broader effort to contain the second deadliest Ebola outbreak in history. Over 1,600 people have died since August 2018.
But cultural resistance runs deep. In many communities, washing and touching the deceased is considered essential for their journey to the afterlife. 'It's a clash of two worlds,' said Dr.
John Muyembe, Congo's coordinator for Ebola response. 'We must find a way to honour the dead while protecting the living.' The programme has so far trained 15 burial teams and 200 community leaders.
But with new cases emerging daily, the number of mourners forced to break with tradition is growing fast. For Martha Kavira, the pain is raw. 'I have no husband, no parents now.
Just my children and this plastic-wrapped grief.
