As Ebola continues to affect communities in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), health workers are warning that the outbreak is taking a serious psychological toll on patients, survivors and grieving families. At a mental health treatment centre in Bunia, one woman is receiving support after losing two close relatives and three members of her extended family to the disease. Beyond her grief, she says fear and social stigma have left her feeling abandoned by her community. “We were afraid, but we went to the hospital. Everyone at home was afraid. The neighbors are afraid to come near us,” she said, describing the isolation her family has experienced. Healthcare workers say the stigma surrounding Ebola affects not only patients and survivors but also medical staff, making an already difficult public health emergency more challenging.
Anicet Katembo Vyaluva, a healthcare worker, said patients often experience isolation within their communities and even feel alone while receiving treatment at specialized centers. The situation is further complicated by persistent armed conflict and displacement across eastern DR Congo. According to Mirella Riccardi, a mental health and psychosocial support specialist with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), insecurity has made vulnerable communities even more susceptible to psychological distress. The combination of disease, bereavement, displacement and fear can intensify anxiety and emotional suffering, aid workers warn. Health organizations are therefore stressing the importance of integrating mental health and psychosocial support into the Ebola response. Alongside medical care, they say, affected people need counselling, community support and protection from discrimination to help them cope with the outbreak’s lasting effects.
