Can Ebola in DR Congo be contained?
The Stream looks at how health workers are trying to prevent the spread of the deadly disease.
On Tuesday, July 23 at 19:30 GMT:
The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has now been declared an international health emergency by the World Health Organization. The designation was made after the virus was recently detected in the country’s largest city Goma.
The DRC’s nearly year-long struggle to contain the disease has been complicated by violence from armed groups and conspiracy theories that have hindered public health efforts. Health workers and some medical facilities have also endured violent attacks from locals frightened that they are responsible for spreading the disease.
Over 2,500 people have been infected and more than 1,700 people have died from Ebola since August, making it the second-deadliest Ebola epidemic on record. Fever checks have been stepped up at the borders, but so far limits to cross-border travel and trade have not been imposed.
In this episode, we’ll hear how those on the front lines of containing the outbreak are faring. Join the conversation.
On this episode of The Stream, we speak with:
Yap Boum, @YapBoum2
Representative, Epicenter Africa & Professor, Mbarara University of Sciences & Technology (Uganda), Universities of Yaoundé (Cameroon), University of Virginia
epicenterafrica.com
George Kalisa, @SsebuggwawoGeo2
Editor
lightmagazine.rw
Dr. Sabue Mulangu
Medical Doctor
What do you think? Record a video comment or leave your thoughts below.
Read more:
WHO sounds global alarm over DR Congo Ebola outbreak – Al Jazeera
Debate over whether to test a second Ebola vaccine turns acrimonious – STAT News
More of the same won’t solve Congo’s Ebola crisis – let locals lead – Guardian