Ebola Misinformation Fuels Attacks on Health Workers

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, Red Cross volunteers faced violent attacks while attempting to conduct safe burials for Ebola victims. This happened last month in Bunia, eastern DR Congo, when a crowd, fueled by rumors that the coffin was empty and Ebola is not real, assaulted the volunteers. These incidents are part of a disturbing trend of community resistance linked to widespread misinformation.

False claims circulating include allegations that Ebola is non-existent, that health workers are deliberately infecting people, or that the response is a scheme for financial gain. BBC Verify documented 12 such cases of resistance, including assaults on healthcare workers and interference with safe burial practices, crucial for preventing the spread of the highly infectious virus. Most recently, on July 1, an Ebola treatment center in Bafwabango was set on fire.

Misinformation is significantly undermining response efforts, according to health officials. In late May, rioters attacked a treatment center in Rwampara after relatives were prevented from taking a body for burial. Traditional funeral rites, deeply significant in Congolese culture, often involve touching the deceased, making safe burials a critical but contested measure.

Experts emphasize that decades of unrest and external interference in eastern DR Congo have cultivated profound distrust, complicating the fight against Ebola. Health officials state that rebuilding trust is as vital as medical treatment. The WHO chief noted that winning community trust is the true battleground for containing the outbreak effectively.