The ongoing violent incidents in the eastern regions of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have resulted in a temporary suspension of Ebola response activities by aid organizations operating there, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) said on Friday.
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 28th September, 2018) The ongoing violent incidents in the eastern regions of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have resulted in a temporary suspension of Ebola response activities by aid organizations operating there, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) said on Friday.
Over the past several months, there has been multiple reports about a sharp rise in abuses against civilians in the DRC province of North Kivu and subsequent mass displacement. According to the UN Refugee Agency, about 13,000 people were forced to leave their homes in the Beni area in August alone. Last weekend, over 20 people were killed in the city of Beni in an attack carried out by the Allied Democratic Forces - National Army for the Liberation of Uganda (ADF-NALU).
"The security situation in and around Beni has been volatile for years and is only getting worse. The residents living in and around Beni continue to experience ongoing violence and insecurity in their communities, which has impacted all aspects of their lives, including access to healthcare and other services. With the latest events in Beni and Butembo, access to health centers to identify and treat those with Ebola is currently severely restricted. Within this context there is a great danger for existing and new cases to move around undetected, allowing for further spread of this very deadly disease," Sarah Terlouw, country director for IRC in the DRC, said.
The most recent outbreak of Ebola in DRC was registered on August 1, mostly hitting the Ituri and North Kivu provinces and coming just months after the previous outbreak that took place in May and claimed the lives of 33 people. As of September 25, the Ebola disease had affected 151 individuals, and killed 101 in the area, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
The DRC has long been fighting the ADF-NALU, which was formed in western Uganda to oppose the Ugandan government and eventually expanded into the neighboring state. The group is considered a terrorist organization in Uganda and is believed to be responsible for frequent incidents of violence in both Uganda and the DRC.
