Aid workers rushed critical supplies Thursday to the center of a rare Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where overstretched medical teams are battling severe shortages, community distrust and insecurity tied to armed groups in the volatile east.
A white cargo plane carrying European Union-donated aid landed in Bunia, the epicenter of the outbreak in Ituri province, delivering masks, gloves, boots and essential medicines that remain in short supply. U.N.-marked forklifts loaded crates onto waiting trucks as operations moved quickly to distribute the equipment.
Health workers are trying to contain the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, a rare variant with no approved treatment or vaccine. In several areas, clinicians have been forced to rely on expired protective gear while treating suspected patients, underscoring the strain on the response.
Efforts are further complicated by anger over strict protocols for handling bodies of those who die from the disease, which often conflict with traditional burial practices. That tension has fueled unrest, including at least three reported attacks on health facilities in Ituri province.
Congolese Health Minister Samuel Roger Kamba said that during outbreaks, people in remote communities can feel overwhelmed by an influx of information and responders.
