ع
Dr Raymond Kasereka Kamwanga decided to seek care at an Ebola treatment centre in Butembo after suspecting infection while working at Katwa Hospital. His 50-year-old mother Masika Ndungo begged him not to go, asking why he was choosing to die there as the family regarded the unit as a place from which patients rarely returned. The physician understood that remaining at home would greatly reduce his chances of survival, according to his account.
The incident took place in July, two months after the World Health Organization declared the Ebola outbreak in DR Congo a public health emergency of international concern. The declaration followed rapid spread in Ituri province, where the outbreak was first notified on May 8 and formally declared on May 15. Kamwanga has gone on to recover and now shares his experience to encourage community members to overcome fear of treatment facilities.
Government figures placed the total at more than 11,000 confirmed cases with over 5,400 deaths as of mid-November, according to data compiled by European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control updates. Ituri accounts for the majority of infections while the outbreak has reached eight provinces overall. The Bundibugyo strain driving the outbreak has no approved specific vaccine or therapeutic, a factor the World Health Organization has linked to elevated mortality when patients arrive late at facilities.
Survivors have taken prominent roles in countering misinformation that has deterred people from seeking timely care. Gladys Munguroma, who delayed hospital treatment because of rumours that patients would not survive, later recovered and called on others to reject such falsehoods and present early, an Al Jazeera report from July stated. A separate UNICEF account described a mother and her infant son who both recovered after intensive care at a treatment centre in Bunia, underscoring that prompt intervention can produce positive outcomes even in severe cases.
Insecurity, population movements and cross-border activity have complicated containment across affected provinces, a World Health Organization assessment found. High numbers of community deaths indicate that many individuals still avoid treatment centres because of persistent stigma and distrust. Authorities have therefore enlisted recovered patients to serve as community ambassadors who can demonstrate that survival is achievable.
Clinical trials of candidate vaccines against the Bundibugyo strain commenced in recent weeks, with the World Health Organization projecting initial results by early 2027. Kamwanga has begun writing a book detailing his ordeal to further reduce fear within his community. He told the BBC his mother had said he would die if he sought treatment yet added “I am proof you can survive.”
