Ebola Attack: Kids and Hospitals in Congo Under Fire

Wed Jun 17 2026 18:41:10 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Armed men storm a DR Congo hospital, taking a six‑year‑old Ebola patient, showing how fear and misinformation fuel violence during the outbreak.

In eastern DR Congo a group of armed men stormed a hospital in Butembo, taking a six‑year‑old Ebola patient and her mother, sparking fears of further violence against health facilities. The incident follows a series of attacks on Ebola treatment centres, with local communities believing NGOs are creating disease to profit. The outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo strain, has seen almost 200 deaths and 840 cases, and no vaccine is yet available. Experts warn that conflict in the region hampers response efforts and that mistrust fuels dangerous reactions.

Ebola Attack: Kids and Hospitals in Congo Under Fire

Authorities in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo are searching for a six‑year‑old girl and her mother after armed men stormed the Wanamahika Hospital in Butembo. The men, described as "very angry," seized the child from the treatment centre, leaving the staff scrambling to protect others. It remains unclear if the attackers knew the child, but their actions reflect deep mistrust in the community about Ebola care.

This incident follows a hard‑going pattern of violence against health facilities during the current outbreak. In recent weeks, police fired shots in the air in Mongbwalu while crowds tried to retrieve bodies of the deceased. A separate attack saw tents set on fire in Rwampara after troops were stopped from taking a man presumed to have died of Ebola.

The Ebola strain circulating is Bundibugyo, which currently has no vaccine. WHO warns that the conflict, with the M23 rebel group controlling parts of North and South Kivu, makes the epidemic harder to manage. Still, health officials urge people to rely on official guidance: a child and her mother risk worsening health and could spread the virus if they leave the hospital unprotected.

Public confidence is low in some remote areas where locals believe the disease is invented by outsiders and that NGOs and hospitals are profiteering. In such environments, incidents like the hospital raid can quickly turn from a medical crisis into a fight for survival.

Countries impacted by the outbreak are mainly Ituri, South Kivu and North Kivu, with the virus still spreading among local populations. The current figures show almost 200 deaths and 840 confirmed cases, reflecting a grim picture for the region.

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