DRC civil society calls for collective action against Ebola

In the face of the ongoing Ebola virus threat in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, the civil society of Kasindi-Lubirigha has issued an urgent call for widespread community mobilization. A three-day awareness campaign launched on Monday aims to underscore that combating Ebola is a collective responsibility, extending beyond health authorities to every member of the community.

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There are intense movements of people coming to us from the neighboring province of Ituri as well as from the commercial city of Butembo, where several cases of the Ebola virus disease are recorded. This is why we are calling on the population to strictly adhere to the prevention measures issued by health authorities.

Kasindi-Lubirigha, situated near the Ugandan border and approximately 90 kilometers northeast of Beni, is considered a sensitive area due to significant daily population movements. Local civil society groups stress that all community members must actively participate in prevention efforts. This includes adhering to barrier measures and promptly reporting any suspected cases to the relevant health services.

Jean-Paul Zaidi, the rapporteur for the Kasindi-Lubirigha civil society, pointed to the risks posed by population movements from areas already affected by the epidemic. "There are intense movements of people coming to us from the neighboring province of Ituri as well as from the commercial city of Butembo, where several cases of the Ebola virus disease are recorded," he stated. "This is why we are calling on the population to strictly adhere to the prevention measures issued by health authorities."

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We call on the authorities to strengthen cross-border surveillance and community sensitization to prevent any spread of this disease.

To counter these risks, civil society advocates for enhanced surveillance mechanisms, particularly at the entry and exit points of this key border city. Zaidi also urged authorities to intensify community sensitization efforts to prevent the virus from spreading further into the region. "We call on the authorities to strengthen cross-border surveillance and community sensitization to prevent any spread of this disease," he insisted.

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We also call on the leaders of churches and frequently visited places to further strengthen the availability of water in handwashing facilities, as this can greatly help the community.

Furthermore, the civil society group is appealing to leaders of churches, markets, schools, and other public places to ensure that handwashing facilities are functional and readily available. "We also call on the leaders of churches and frequently visited places to further strengthen the availability of water in handwashing facilities, as this can greatly help the community," Zaidi added. They also emphasized the reality of the disease, stating, "The disease is here, it exists, and it kills."

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The disease is here, it exists, and it kills.