Six aid workers involved in the Ebola response in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have been injured in two separate attacks, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies says.
The incidents highlight the severe security threats facing medical personnel trying to contain outbreaks of the virus in the country’s volatile eastern provinces.
In the first incident, a Red Cross convoy carrying out humanitarian duties in Ituri province was ambushed by armed assailants. One staff member suffered serious injuries in the assault, while two ambulances were vandalised and damaged during the attack.
In a separate event in neighbouring Haut-Uele province, two volunteers were injured and subsequently evacuated after being attacked while attempting to conduct a safe and dignified burial for a suspected Ebola victim. Safe burials are a critical component of stopping the spread of the virus, but community resistance and misinformation have frequently put burial teams at risk.
The Red Cross has condemned the violence, warning that targeted attacks on healthcare workers and emergency responders severely compromise the humanitarian effort and put vulnerable communities at greater risk of disease transmission.
–ChannelAfrica–
