As global confirmed Ebola cases reach 1,000, nearly three million children and adolescents are at risk in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), while efforts increase to treat prisoners near the epicentre of the current outbreak, UN agencies warned on Monday.
Making up 15 per cent of confirmed cases and over 25 per cent of deaths since the outbreak in April, children are almost twice as likely to die as adults, according to the UN Children's Fund ( UNICEF ).
"Children are especially vulnerable because they depend on caregivers and cannot distance themselves from a sick parent or sibling in the same way that an adult can," said UNICEF chief Catherine Russell.
"To better protect children, we need sustained access, and the resources needed to reach every affected community."
Tackling instability and online disinformation
More than 130 children have already lost one or both parents in Ituri, the origin and epicentre of this current outbreak.
"Our teams in Ituri have met children who have lost their mothers, and in some cases both parents, to Ebola ," Ms. Russell said.
"Children are trying to make sense of the threat while surrounded by rumors and online misinformation."
While testing capacity has recently improved, surveillance and contact tracing remain constrained, including by insecurity and restricted access in a restive region scarred by clashes between the government forces and armed groups.
New nursery serves Ebola orphans
Ituri province, particularly the Mongbwalu, Rwampara and Bunia health zones, remains the epicentre, with cases also reported in North Kivu and South Kivu.
In Ituri, 135 children who have been orphaned by the outbreak are receiving support, including with psychosocial care, referral to essential social services and alternative care arrangements, said UNICEF, which also opened a nursery as a safe space for youngsters separated from their parents or caregivers and plans to operate two more soon.
Calling for immediate, safe and sustained humanitarian access to affected communities, UNICEF is initially seeking $70.7 million for its six‑month response, with $20 million still unfunded, as part of the multi-partner Ebola preparedness and response continental plan to contain the spread of disease.
WHO and 'blue helmets' build care unit at Bunia prison
Behind the blue walls of Bunia Central Prison in Ituri, where 2,000 inmates live in close quarters, the World Health Organization ( WHO ) built an Ebola isolation and care unit as part of its support to DRC health authorities to end the ongoing outbreak.
"The project was delivered in close collaboration with local community members, with the majority of the workforce made up of inmates who contributed their skills and labour, demonstrating the positive impact of community engagement and rehabilitation efforts in strengthening the local health response," says Michele Di Marco, a World Health Organization (WHO) technical coordinator and architect.
Built in collaboration with the UN Peacekeeping Mission, MONUSCO , the four-bed temporary isolation unit aims to provide safe clinical care, protect the health of inmates and staff and help prevent the spread of the virus, which the UN health agency said is "an investment in preparedness".
Protection beyond prison walls
Strong infection prevention and control measures are critical in prison settings, where overcrowding, frequent movement and close social interaction can accelerate the spread of infectious diseases such as Ebola, WHO said.
For prison officials, the facility offers reassurance in the face of a disease that can spread quickly if left undetected, WHO said.
By integrating Ebola preparedness into routine healthcare services, the UN health agency said authorities are strengthening their capacity to respond rapidly to public health threats while maintaining essential care for detainees.
As Bunia inmates regularly interact with visitors, gather in shared spaces and participate in such activities as football matches, WHO said such environments make it essential to maintain robust prevention, screening and preparedness measures for reducing transmission risks. This protects both the prison population and the wider community, the agency said.
