Geneva: The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has raised alarms over the rapid spread of the Bundibugyo Ebola virus disease in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and its potential impact on displaced communities in the region.
According to African Press Organization, as of June 17, 896 confirmed cases and 232 deaths have been reported across 31 health zones in the DRC. Neighboring Uganda has confirmed 19 cases and two deaths. Although none of the cases involve refugees, the risk of the disease spreading among displaced populations remains high. More than 2 million forcibly displaced people, including over 320,000 refugees, live in areas threatened by both conflict and the Ebola outbreak in the DRC.
UNHCR has observed increased population movements in and out of affected areas, which could exacerbate the transmission of the disease. On June 7, the agency monitored the arrival of approximately 2,250 people from Mbau, fleeing to Oicha in North Kivu, an Ebola-affected zone already hosting over 14,300 displaced individuals. This movement was triggered by armed group activities that created panic among the population.
The Ebola outbreak is compounding the challenges faced by refugees and internally displaced persons, who are already dealing with trauma, insecurity, and inadequate humanitarian assistance. Misinformation and distrust are eroding trust in response teams and delaying access to crucial healthcare. For instance, on June 3, internally displaced people temporarily blocked access to response teams following two Ebola-related deaths at the Kpangba site in Ituri Province, highlighting how distrust can hinder life-saving interventions.
UNHCR emphasizes the importance of collaborating with community leaders to build trust, counter misinformation, and ensure that public health measures are aligned with population movements. In high-risk areas like Bunia, UNHCR is backing government-led response plans. Recently, it facilitated training for over 100 community leaders by health experts on Ebola prevention, enabling them to disseminate messages in local languages and trusted formats.
The risk of Ebola is not confined to the DRC. The interconnected region includes Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, and South Sudan, linked through trade, family ties, and refugee movements. UNHCR is enhancing preparedness in these countries by partnering with governments, the World Health Organization, and other agencies to bolster surveillance, screening, infection prevention, communication, and water, sanitation, and hygiene support in refugee-hosting areas and border corridors.
Governments are urged to lead the response, maintaining public health while ensuring access to asylum for those in need. Temporary movement restrictions at borders have been introduced by some neighboring countries. However, UNHCR believes border closures are ineffective in preventing the epidemic's spread, potentially driving people to unofficial crossing points where health screening is challenging. Public health measures should include appropriate screening, triage, isolation, and referral systems.
UNHCR and its partners are working with local authorities to enhance community-led preventive measures, ensuring displaced communities are part of national health responses and protected from blame or discrimination, with a focus on women and girls. With the rapid increase in cases, the response must scale up while maintaining essential services like primary healthcare, gender-based violence services, and education.
As part of an inter-agency response, UNHCR is seeking $14 million for Ebola preparedness and response from July to November. These funds aim to support forcibly displaced people and their host communities in the DRC and Uganda, as well as reinforce preparedness in Burundi, Rwanda, and South Sudan. The resources will help strengthen health and sanitation systems, support front-line personnel, expand isolation and referral capacity, and ensure that displaced people are included in the broader public health response.