After an Ebola centre was attacked, peacekeepers moved in next door
UN Peacekeepers Bolster Ebola Response Following Centre Attack in Congo
Provpnmatrix.com – A newly established mobile United Nations peacekeeping facility in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has enabled local officials to maintain their efforts against a rapidly spreading Ebola epidemic. The intervention comes after violent incidents disrupted medical operations at a dedicated treatment center designed to contain the virus's transmission.
MONUSCO, the UN peacekeeping mission operating in DR Congo, positioned this strategic base close to the settlement of Nyakunde within Ituri Province on July 16. This deployment allows peacekeepers wearing blue helmets during their patrols to provide enhanced security for healthcare facilities and the patients they serve.
Timeline of Violence and Response
The base became operational exactly one day following multiple disturbing events that unsettled the local community surrounding Nyakunde. On July 15, a collective of young residents damaged the regional Ebola Treatment Centre through vandalism. Simultaneously, the assassination of local militia commander Kakani Tondabo triggered violent confrontations resulting in five additional fatalities.
Since Congolese authorities officially announced the current Ebola emergency on May 15, national health organizations have documented over 2,500 infections and more than 1,000 deaths across the affected regions.
At least twelve medical facilities have experienced attacks, primarily driven by community fear, widespread misinformation, and profound distrust of external governing bodies.
Restoring Calm Through Presence
MONUSCO reported that its stationed presence in Marabo, located near Nyakunde, has successfully reestablished stability and encouraged residents who fled the violence to return to their homes.
"People quickly understood that we had come to help restore security and protect the Ebola Treatment Centre," said Major Atiqur, commander of the new mobile base. "Today, we receive a warm welcome wherever we go."
The local treatment facility sits adjacent to Nyakunde General Referral Hospital and accommodates thirty-one patients at any given time.
Dr. Charles Kashindi, who serves as the hospital's medical director, noted that community awareness initiatives in the region are beginning to reduce new Ebola infections.
"Just a few weeks ago, we were receiving six to seven patients a day," he explained. "Today, we are seeing only two or three."
Regional health administrators are now requesting a permanent MONUSCO deployment to guarantee patient safety during treatment periods.
"Our mission is to restore hope to communities that have gone through extremely difficult times," said local MONUSCO patrol commander Captain Ary.
Broader Regional Challenges
While the Ebola crisis continues, armed conflict between DR Congo's military forces and the Rwanda-supported M23 rebel group persists across eastern regions, particularly within North Kivu and South Kivu provinces.
The UN's humanitarian coordination office, OCHA, documented that at least sixty civilians lost their lives since July 12 along the North Kivu and Ituri border—the primary epicenter of the Ebola outbreak.
On Thursday, thirty individuals were reported killed in the vicinity of Mambasa town.
UN humanitarian partners indicated that twenty-five thousand displaced persons recently reached Beni town in North Kivu, finding shelter within homes of already vulnerable families or in structures that had been abandoned.
OCHA issued a warning on Friday that recent Ebola cases identified in Kisangani have generated concerns that the virus might soon cross the Congo River, potentially spreading into other parts of DR Congo.
The United Nations and its collaborative partners are currently developing contingency plans for potential regional expansion by establishing infection prevention and control measures, increasing treatment center capacity, and preparing safe burial procedures.
"The UN reiterates its call for the protection of civilians and for safe and sustained humanitarian access to people affected by violence and the Ebola outbreak," the aid coordination agency stated.
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