Fighting the risk of infection from misinformation about Ebola in Congo

Children with disabilities are especially vulnerable in the Ebola crisis that is ravaging the Democratic Republic of Congo. This is because facilities and prevention measures do not take sufficient account of this population group. ADED, partner organization of Liliane Fonds in eastern Congo, does stand up for them. Among other things, by combating dangerous misinformation about the disease. “People are denying the disease more and more,” says Marline Babwine of ADED.

The humanitarian situation in eastern Congo is fragile. A large part of the population has been displaced as a result of violent conflict and lack of food security. This situation is made even more difficult by a recent offensive by rebel group M23.

For the time being, there are few confirmed cases of Ebola in this part of Congo. Due to the security situation and inadequate facilities, people have limited freedom of movement, which means that the virus does not spread easily. This is in contrast to other regions of eastern Congo, where Ebola has already claimed thousands of victims.

Measures

Under these complex circumstances, ADED supports prevention and monitoring measures on behalf of the provincial government. In collaboration with organizations of people with disabilities, ADED advises the provincial government, with specific attention to people and children with disabilities. Aid and prevention programmes and information must explicitly take them into account and be accessible to them. Without this targeted support, children and young people with disabilities are at high risk of being excluded from vital aid and information about Ebola.

Support

Liliane Fonds supports ADED with extra financing for their package of measures. In doing so, ADED provides thousands of people with disabilities, their caregivers and communities with access to reliable, accessible information, equipment and protection measures. Through their contacts in society, such as schools, churches and social organizations, ADED reaches thousands of people directly and effectively.

Widespread misinformation is a constant obstacle to this, says Marline Babwine, lobbyist at ADED:

"I am constantly worried about being infected"

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“At the beginning of this crisis, everyone immediately saw the danger. People wore face masks, spoke to each other about risks, for example in places where many people gather, such as taxi bike stands.”

“The government took measures to stop the outbreak, the borders with Uganda and Rwanda were closed. This had a major impact on daily life, especially for small traders, who depend on the free movement of people and goods. The price of basic necessities and foodstuffs went up.”

“In response, the disease is increasingly denied. Some people argue that the government has taken the measures to enrich itself or obtain funding. Such stories call into question the reality of the health crisis.”

“It takes us a lot of effort to convince people to follow prevention measures. Some people express unsubstantiated theories, such as that the virus was created or introduced by NGOs (‘wazungu’). Such stories reinforce the distrust of our messages and make it difficult to raise awareness. That’s stressful. For us as ADED staff, it is a challenge to connect our communication to the community.”

“I am concerned about the central government’s approach to the crisis. They seem to find political differences and tensions with the opposition more important than the health crisis. I notice that attention is slackening, measures are being relaxed. The media are also losing their attention, sharing much less information. That reinforces my feeling that the situation is less monitored.”

“I knew a priest in Bunia. He visited sick people in the hospital, offered them moral support. That’s how he became infected himself. He has since died. He was someone who was very involved in peace processes. The risk of contamination constantly worries me. I think of my family. What happens if I get infected?”