Authorities in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo are searching for a six-year-old Ebola patient and her mother after armed men stormed a hospital in Butembo and took the child from treatment.
Local health official Dr Lubambo Maboko Gaston said in a statement that “very angry” men armed with knives invaded Wanamahika Hospital and removed the patient, raising renewed concerns about safety at Ebola treatment centres in the region.
It was not immediately clear whether the attackers were known to the child or her family. However, officials say fear and suspicion surrounding Ebola treatment facilities have repeatedly fuelled hostility during outbreaks.
Gaston urged the abducted child and her mother to return to a health centre, warning that delaying treatment could worsen their condition and increase the risk of infecting others.
“Worsening their health” and “infecting their relatives,” he said, stressing the importance of medical care.
The incident is the latest in a series of attacks on Ebola treatment facilities in eastern Congo, where misinformation and mistrust continue to undermine public health efforts.
Last month, police in Mongbwalu fired warning shots after angry residents attempted to reclaim bodies of relatives who had died in treatment, while in another incident, isolation tents in Rwampara were set on fire after a similar dispute over a body believed to be infected.
Health officials say such actions significantly increase the risk of further spread, as Ebola remains highly contagious after death and requires strict burial protocols.
Community distrust has been fuelled in part by misinformation, with some residents believing the disease is fabricated. Local voices have repeatedly called for better public education on the outbreak.
The current outbreak, caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, has recorded nearly 200 deaths and more than 840 confirmed cases, according to health authorities.
There is currently no approved vaccine for this strain, and the World Health Organization has warned that development of an effective jab could take months.
Cases remain concentrated in the provinces of Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu, with Ituri identified as the main hotspot for transmission.
