{"id":5631,"date":"2026-06-11T08:06:01","date_gmt":"2026-06-11T13:06:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/medecinsdumonde.ca\/?post_type=actualite&p=5631"},"modified":"2026-10-02T04:27:09","modified_gmt":"2026-10-02T09:27:09","slug":"rdc-ebola-est-percue-comme-une-invention-pour-se-faire-de-largent","status":"publish","type":"actualite","link":"https:\/\/medecinsdumonde.ca\/en\/article\/rdc-ebola-est-percue-comme-une-invention-pour-se-faire-de-largent\/","title":{"rendered":"DRC: \u201cEbola is seen as an invention to make money\u201d"},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"featured_media":5632,"template":"","actualite_type":[10],"actualite_sujet":[],"action_combat":[42],"mdm_pays":[],"class_list":["post-5631","actualite","type-actualite","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","actualite_type-international-actions","action_combat-humanitarian-crises"],"acf":{"mise_en_avant":false,"chapeau":"In just over two weeks, the Ebola epidemic affecting the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has affected more than 320 people, nearly 50 of whom have already died, while dozens of suspected cases continue to be recorded every day.","cta_type":"aucun","cta_lien":"","contenu":"As the epidemic spreads rapidly and health authorities and humanitarian actors work to try to contain its spread, rumours are growing and increasing the population's resistance.\n\n\u201cThe urgency of the situation requires quick action. But in the rush, we sometimes skip essential steps. Taking the time to dialogue with affected communities and listen to their concerns and directions is crucial if we want to ensure ownership and acceptance of Ebola control measures by the population,\u201d<\/em> explains Oscar Bahiva Ayagirwe, community health focal point for M\u00e9decins du Monde in South Kivu.\n

DISTRUST TOWARDS RESPONSE ACTORS<\/h2>\nTents burned, stone-throwing, attempts to forcibly extract the bodies of some deceased patients, etc. In recent weeks, several violent incidents have occurred near Ebola treatment centres in Ituri province, reflecting the population's mistrust of the measures implemented to combat the epidemic.\n\n\u201cWith every Ebola epidemic, there are rumours circulating;<\/em> it is far from a new phenomenon. But rumours are each time fuelled by the specific context,\u201d<\/em> says Oscar B. Ayagirwe. \u201cThe major economic crisis in eastern DRC \u2013 already plagued by chronic conflicts \u2013 strongly influences current local perceptions. Some people believe that Ebola is an invention by health workers and humanitarian actors to make money, especially since international NGOs keep complaining about the lack of funding.\u201d<\/em>\n

CO-CONSTRUCTING THE RESPONSE<\/h2>\n
\n\nWhile the epicentre of the epidemic remains contained in Ituri for now, the provinces of North and South Kivu are seeing the number of cases rise day by day. On the ground, M\u00e9decins du Monde teams are working closely with healthcare providers, civil society organisations, and community outreach workers to strengthen risk communication and community engagement (RCCE).\n\nRCCE is a fundamental cross-cutting pillar of the response to an Ebola epidemic, as it allows the dissemination of reliable, accurate, and real-time information within the population. It is a highly effective means of (re)building trust between communities and response actors, combating misinformation, and promoting the rapid detection of patients with suspicious symptoms.\n\n<\/div>\n
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\n\n\u201cLocal communities know their environment better than we do. That is why we must avoid arriving with ready-made messages and solutions, and give the population the opportunity to co-construct an adapted intervention,\u201d<\/em> insists Oscar B. Ayagirwe.\n\nIn Ibanda or Katana, for example, two health zones in South Kivu located near Lake Kivu and thus with a significant flow of travellers, M\u00e9decins du Monde teams emphasise the need for vigilance regarding population movements, particularly from areas heavily affected by the epidemic. In contrast, in an area like Miti-Murhesa, bordering Kahuzi Biega National Park, communication focuses more on the risks associated with consuming bushmeat (one of the disease's transmission vectors).\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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EVERYONE ENGAGED<\/h2>\n
\n\nSince last week, in collaboration with local health authorities, 300 community outreach workers have already been trained by M\u00e9decins du Monde in several health zones in Bukavu and surrounding areas, where the first Ebola cases were recorded in South Kivu. With the ongoing support of M\u00e9decins du Monde teams, each trained individual is now responsible for raising awareness among 50 to 70 households in their community.\n\n\u201cThe goal is to reach as many people as possible, as quickly as possible. This way, everyone feels concerned and can act at their level. The fight against the epidemic is not only the responsibility of \u2018experts.\u2019 Everyone is responsible for looking out for their family, neighbours, and community,\u201d<\/em> concludes Oscar B. Ayagirwe.\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>","temps_lecture":5,"legende_couverture":"","signature_nom":"Doctors of the World Canada","signature_role":"","signature_initiales":"MdM","signature_avatar":"","communique_lien":[],"communique_libelle":"","encadre_titre":"Key Information","encadre_texte":"","partenaires_titre":"With the support of","partenaires":null,"reseaux_partage":["facebook","twitter","linkedin","email","copy"],"evenement_date":null,"evenement_type":"","evenement_lieu":"","evenement_inscription":"","presse_afficher":true,"presse_surtitre":"Press Release"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/medecinsdumonde.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/actualite\/5631","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/medecinsdumonde.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/actualite"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/medecinsdumonde.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/actualite"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/medecinsdumonde.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/actualite\/5631\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5633,"href":"https:\/\/medecinsdumonde.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/actualite\/5631\/revisions\/5633"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medecinsdumonde.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5632"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/medecinsdumonde.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5631"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"actualite_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medecinsdumonde.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/actualite_type?post=5631"},{"taxonomy":"actualite_sujet","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medecinsdumonde.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/actualite_sujet?post=5631"},{"taxonomy":"action_combat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medecinsdumonde.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/action_combat?post=5631"},{"taxonomy":"mdm_pays","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medecinsdumonde.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/mdm_pays?post=5631"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}