The rapid spread of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo has been described as ‘deeply alarming’ by global health officials, with the UK government announcing a rapid response team to contain the outbreak. The pledge, made by the Foreign Office on Tuesday, includes medical experts, logistics support and funding for local health systems. For the workers and communities on the ground, this is a race against time.
The virus has already claimed dozens of lives in the North Kivu region, a conflict-ridden area where healthcare access is already fragile. ‘Without immediate action, we could see a catastrophe that destabilises the region,’ said Dr Aisha Mwamba, a public health specialist with the WHO. The UK’s response team will assist with contact tracing, vaccination and safe burials.
But local union leaders and nurses warn that years of underfunding have left health services ill-equipped. ‘Our colleagues are exhausted. They have no protective gear, no proper pay,’ said Marie Tshibangu, a nurse in Goma.
The UK’s pledge is welcome, but it must be matched by sustained investment in the real economy of health. The cost of a single response mission, critics argue, pales in comparison to the price of failure.
