A senior World Health Organization (WHO) official has revealed that 75 healthcare workers have been infected with Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), with 17 fatalities recorded since the start of the current outbreak.
The official said the outbreak may have been circulating months before it was officially declared by Congolese authorities on May 15, resulting in early and widespread exposure among medical personnel.
According to the WHO, many health workers were infected before the presence of the virus was confirmed in affected communities, worsening the spread and impact of the outbreak.
The organisation also raised concerns about shortages of basic protective equipment, including gloves and masks, which are essential for preventing transmission among frontline workers.
WHO Emergency Director Marie Roseline Belizaire, speaking via video link from eastern DRC, described the situation as a heavy burden on an already fragile health system.
“It is a really high price that the system, the healthcare system, is paying, because we don’t have enough of healthcare workers in DRC,” she said.
The Democratic Republic of Congo has one of the lowest healthcare worker-to-population ratios in the world, with an estimated 11 health workers per 10,000 people, according to WHO data.
Belizaire said international support is being mobilised, with China and Uganda sending medical teams to assist in the response.
She also noted that some healthcare workers are receiving psychological support due to trauma and fear after witnessing colleagues become infected.
“When they are explaining to you how they live it, how they were infected … it can break your heart,” she added.
Health authorities and the WHO continue efforts to contain the outbreak, improve protective measures, and strengthen response capacity in affected regions as concerns grow over the spread among frontline workers.
