Ebola campaign urges continued health services

The Youth Alliance for Reproductive Health in the Democratic Republic of the Congo used the hashtag #EbolaTuJikinge on Tuesday to urge health authorities and responders to keep routine services running alongside Ebola control measures. The message, posted publicly on X by the account yarhdrc, said vaccination, maternal health services and other non-Ebola care should continue in affected districts. The appeal comes as the World Health Organization says Ebola outbreaks were confirmed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda in May 2026. ### Why are campaigners talking about routine care during an Ebola outbreak? WHO said the 2026 outbreak involves the Bundibugyo species of Ebola, for which there is no vaccine or specific treatment approved, and that the response is unfolding in a setting marked by insecurity, humanitarian strain and high population movement. In that setting, health systems are under pressure not only to isolate cases and trace contacts, but also to keep ordinary services open. (yarhdrc.org) The YARH-DRC message focused on that second problem. Its call for integrated care reflected a concern long seen in Ebola outbreaks: deaths can rise not only from the virus itself, but also from interruptions to immunization, pregnancy care and treatment for other illnesses. That framing is consistent with WHO, World Bank and UN partner statements this year on preserving essential services during the DRC-Uganda response. (who.int) ### Which services are most at risk when Ebola response takes over? UNFPA and partner reporting from Ituri Province said maternal services are among the most exposed when facilities are disrupted or patients fear seeking care. A July 26 report carried by PMNCH said UNFPA was working across 29 health zones in eastern Congo to keep maternal and other critical services running during the outbreak. (yarhdrc.org) WHO guidance has also stressed that pregnancy and childbirth care should continue during Ebola outbreaks. A 2020 WHO guidance note said women and adolescent girls retain the right to sexual and reproductive healthcare during an outbreak, including evidence-based care in pregnancy and childbirth. ### What does “integrated services” mean in practice? (pmnch.who.int) WHO’s Africa office said Uganda has been trying to safeguard essential health services while scaling up Ebola precautions. In a July 21 feature, WHO described clinics adapting triage, infection prevention and referral procedures so that patients could still receive everyday care while suspected Ebola cases were identified and managed separately. (who.int) The World Bank used similar language in a May 27 factsheet on the DRC and Uganda response, saying its goals included preserving essential health services during the crisis. The YARH-DRC post’s reference to clinics and outreach teams fits that broader approach of combining outbreak control with routine service delivery rather than suspending one for the other. (afro.who.int) ### Why is this especially sensitive in eastern Congo? WHO said the outbreak is occurring in a remote and densely populated area affected by insecurity and trade movements. CARE said families in eastern DRC and Uganda are facing Ebola alongside conflict, displacement, hunger and fragile health systems. Those conditions can make it harder for pregnant women, children and patients with non-Ebola illnesses to reach care even before any formal service disruption. (worldbank.org) The Lancet’s reporting on women in the outbreak zone said disruptions to maternal, reproductive and other essential services have already been a major concern in the 2026 emergency. Another Lancet comment on the outbreak described it as operationally complex and noted large numbers of suspected cases and deaths early in the response. ### What happens next in the response? (who.int) WHO said it is scaling up support to the governments of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda through surveillance, contact tracing, clinical preparedness, supply delivery, community engagement and cross-border preparedness. YARH-DRC’s campaign adds a public-facing demand that those measures be paired with continued vaccination, maternal care and other routine services in affected areas. (thelancet.com) WHO Africa published new Ebola-related feature stories on September 2, September 3 and September 7, indicating that the regional response and public messaging are continuing this week. The YARH-DRC post remains publicly visible on X under the #EbolaTuJikinge campaign. (afro.who.int) (who.int)