180 Ebola patients flee hospital following terror attack in Congo

A horrific terror attack has occurred in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) amidst an Ebola outbreak. Due to this attack, approximately 180 patients fled the hospital in fear, including confirmed Ebola patients, suspected cases, and those in high-risk contact.

According to reports, a terror group named Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), linked to the Islamic State (ISIS), attacked a health post and surrounding areas in the village of Cantine-Aloya in North Kivu province. At least 33 people were killed in this attack. The terrorists opened fire on villagers and killed some people using axes. The terrorists also set fire to village houses and the health post.

Due to the severity of the attack, there was a mass exodus of patients from the nearby Kalekale Hospital. The medical director of the hospital, Dr. Christian Kakule Vulembera, stated that the hospital became completely empty around midnight. He specifically noted that patients suspected of Ebola infection and those kept in the isolation ward also fled the hospital in this terrifying situation.

This attack comes at a time when the DRC is facing the second largest Ebola outbreak in its history. More than 10,000 cases have been recorded and more than 5,000 people have died across the country so far. Initially, Ituri province was the epicenter of the disease, but now North Kivu has become the most affected area. Ebola is a deadly fever that spreads very rapidly. The flight of patients from the hospital has caused a major hindrance in the process of contact tracing and monitoring the disease, increasing the risk of infection spreading to surrounding communities.

The African Union's public health agency, 'Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention' (Africa CDC), has described this attack as occurring at a critical time in the fight against Ebola. The organization stated that attacks on health facilities and the flight of hundreds of confirmed or suspected patients have created serious public health concerns. According to Africa CDC, any disruption in patient care, contact tracing, and surveillance poses an additional risk to communities already in great distress. The organization has demanded that people be able to receive treatment safely and that health workers be able to provide necessary services without fear of violence.

Africa CDC has appealed for peace and demanded that the security of civilians, patients, health workers, and health centres be ensured, so that safe and continuous access to affected communities remains.

In efforts to control Ebola, not only the lack of security but also local mistrust has become a major obstacle. People often attack health workers. Several conspiracy theories are prevalent in the area, with people believing that the outbreak is fake and that aid agencies are spreading it to make money, or that health workers themselves are spreading the disease.

Regarding the ADF group, it is considered one of the most active and dreaded armed groups in eastern DRC. This group was founded in Uganda in the 1990s. When the army there drove them out, they crossed the border into the DRC and began spreading terror. At the end of 2018, they declared their allegiance to the Islamic State. Since then, they have been notorious for bloody attacks on civilians. Human rights groups describe these attacks as war crimes or crimes against humanity.

Earlier this year, Amnesty International stated that the Congolese army has been scattered due to the increasing influence of the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group. Taking advantage of this security lapse, the ADF has increased its attacks. In these attacks, Congolese Christians are mostly the victims, but local Muslims who do not agree with the ADF's definition of Islam are also killed by the terrorists.