Ebola: Lack of clean water in Beni complicates response

Residents of Beni, in the North Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of Congo, are grappling with a critical shortage of clean drinking water. For months, many neighborhoods have experienced intermittent or no running water, complicating daily life and public health efforts. This scarcity directly impedes the fight against the Ebola epidemic, which was declared in the DRC on May 15, 2026. Health experts emphasize that regular handwashing with clean water and soap is one of the primary preventive measures against the virus. The lack of consistent access to potable water is causing significant concern among the population. Jean Pierre Kapitula, head of Civil Protection in Beni, stated that the water supply issues, even with the presence of the national water company REGIDESO, are substantial. "We don't have water. Access to potable water today is a very significant problem," Kapitula said. "Even if we have REGIDESO, it encounters difficulties in serving the entire population of Beni. We cannot say that water is paramount for facilitating handwashing and not have easy access to this water." He stressed that the government must take responsibility for addressing major issues that facilitate the fight against Ebola. The water crisis is a significant challenge, particularly as the Beni region experiences considerable population movement with the neighboring Ituri province, the epicenter of the current Ebola outbreak.

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We don't have water. Access to potable water today is a very significant problem. Even if we have REGIDESO, it encounters difficulties in serving the entire population of Beni. We cannot say that water is paramount for facilitating handwashing and not have easy access to this water.