Women and children are bearing a disproportionate share of the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Ituri province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the United Nations warned on 8 August, as maternal deaths and child fatalities mount in one of Africa's most volatile humanitarian corridors.

Scale of the Crisis in Ituri

The outbreak is unfolding against an already dire backdrop: nearly 1 million people are displaced in Ituri, of whom approximately 80 per cent are women and children, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) reports that children account for nearly one third of all Ebola deaths, even though they represent roughly a quarter of confirmed cases — a fatality ratio that signals severe gaps in paediatric care and early detection.

Maternal Deaths and Collapse of Health Services

The outbreak is also dismantling the region's already fragile health infrastructure. In the hardest-hit areas of Ituri, use of health services has dropped by more than 40 per cent in recent months, as fear of infection deters communities from seeking care, UNICEF said. The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) warned that overstretched facilities and fear of Ebola are preventing pregnant women from accessing essential services. Maternal deaths in Ituri have reportedly nearly doubled since the outbreak began, with an average of approximately six women dying each week from childbirth-related complications. Ebola infection during pregnancy, according to UN agencies, remains associated with almost universal fetal loss.

Community Response and Outreach Efforts

OCHA stressed that rebuilding community confidence is central to containing the outbreak. UNICEF and partners — working alongside the DRC Ministry of Public Health, the World Health Organisation (WHO), and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) — have deployed 13,000 community workers, reaching more than 2.4 million people with Ebola prevention and early detection messaging. More than 500,000 household visits have been conducted to counter misinformation and encourage early care-seeking.

Cross-Border Risk: South Sudan on Alert

In neighbouring South Sudan, the UN and partners are supporting government-led preparedness efforts, even as no confirmed cases have been reported there. OCHA noted that population movement across the DRC-South Sudan border continues to pose a transmission risk. This month alone, health partners screened more than 135,300 travellers at South Sudan's points of entry. More than 300 health workers and front-line personnel have been trained in screening, triage, infection prevention, and safe burials. Over 7 tonnes of emergency medical supplies have been pre-positioned in Yambio, near the DRC border.

Insecurity Compounds the Challenge

Humanitarian operations face a compounding threat: insecurity. Between January and July, 451 incidents blocking or threatening humanitarian operations were recorded across South Sudan. Along the Yei-Morobo corridor, 32 humanitarian staff abductions have been documented since January of last year, underscoring the acute dangers faced by responders in the highest-risk zones. The combination of active conflict, displacement, and disease is testing the limits of the international response. How quickly community trust is restored in Ituri will determine whether this outbreak is contained or escalates further.