Democratic Republic of Congo Health Minister Samuel Roger Kamba arrived in Bunia this week to oversee the response to a new Ebola outbreak [1, 2].
The visit signals a high-level government effort to coordinate medical logistics and political support in the eastern region, where the virus has already caused significant fatalities.
Kamba traveled to the capital of Ituri province accompanied by the Minister of Communications [1, 2]. The delegation's arrival, reported by some sources as occurring on Thursday, May 29, and others as earlier this week, aims to assess the situation on the ground and deliver essential supplies [1, 2].
Health officials have been working to contain the virus since the first cases were identified on May 15 [1]. The scale of the crisis is reflected in conflicting reports regarding the death toll; Reuters reports 80 deaths [3], while TimesLive and the African CDC report 65 deaths [4].
To expand medical capacity, the government is establishing new facilities in the region. "We have selected sites in Rwampara and Mongwalu to establish new treatment centers, and dozens of patients are receiving active care," Kamba said [2].
The selection of these two specific sites in Rwampara and Mongwalu is intended to decentralize care, and provide faster access to treatment for infected residents [2]. The government continues to coordinate with international partners to manage the outbreak and prevent further spread beyond the Ituri province [3].
“Dozens of patients are receiving active care.”
The deployment of two cabinet ministers to Bunia indicates that the DRC government views the Ituri outbreak as a critical priority. The discrepancy in death tolls between 65 and 80 suggests challenges in real-time data collection in eastern DRC, a region often complicated by logistical hurdles and security instability. The establishment of centers in Rwampara and Mongwalu represents a strategic move to localize the response and reduce the burden on the central hub in Bunia.
