Ebola Fears Cause Over 40% Drop in Essential Healthcare Use in Ituri: UNICEF

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) is sounding the alarm over a drastic decline in essential healthcare services in Ituri, a province in the Democratic Republic of Congo, directly linked to the ongoing Ebola epidemic. Fears of contracting the virus and disruptions to services have led to a significant drop in people seeking medical attention, particularly for child vaccinations and facility-based deliveries.

Data collected between April and June 2026 reveals a stark 42% decrease in the use of essential health services within the main Ebola outbreak zones, including Bunia, Mongbwalu, Nizi, and Rwampara. Across the entire Ituri province, this decline is estimated at 13%. UNICEF representative John Agbor noted that the fear of infection, coupled with service disruptions, is deterring many families from visiting health facilities. He cited a doctor's account of a health center's monthly patient numbers plummeting from 500 before the epidemic to nearly zero.

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The data suggest that the fear of infection, combined with service disruptions, deters many children and their families from seeking care.

The impact extends to routine child immunization programs. In Mongbwalu, the epicenter of the outbreak, the administration of the first dose of the measles vaccine dropped by 69% between April and June. UNICEF warns that this setback could increase the risk of outbreaks of other vaccine-preventable diseases. Pregnant women are also affected, with assisted deliveries in health facilities declining by 13% in Ituri, and even more sharply in specific areas like Bunia (38%), Rwampara (30%), and Nizi (70%). First prenatal consultations have also seen a roughly 28% decrease in these three zones.

UNICEF is calling for an urgent reinforcement of access to essential health services. The agency aims to prevent the Ebola epidemic from exacerbating mortality rates from other preventable causes, particularly among children and pregnant women. The situation highlights the devastating ripple effect of the epidemic on broader public health in the region.

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The fear of infection, combined with service disruptions, deters many children and their families from seeking care.