Burial teams in Congo's Ituri province are struggling with an increasing workload and hostile communities as they work to safely bury victims of the deadly Ebola outbreak. The teams, responsible for preparing bodies and ensuring safe burials, are a critical part of the effort to contain the disease, which has killed nearly 3,200 people among more than 6,500 cases since mid-May.
Despite the physical and emotional toll, team members prioritize community safety. "We have to look at our own mental well-being, and physically the fatigue mounts, but we keep going to ensure the community is protected," one team member told The Associated Press. Paid $20 a day, these workers are on the front lines of the outbreak.
However, their work is often met with frustration from locals. The disease's spread is linked to direct contact with bodily fluids, necessitating that health workers handle the bodies exclusively, preventing traditional burial customs. This restriction leads to misunderstandings and anger among bereaved families. "Usually, the body is handed over to the family... But in this situation, it’s difficult to let the family handle the body as they please. They are deprived of certain rituals, and that’s what leads to misunderstandings," explained Yuma Adolphe, a member of a burial team.
Authorities have stated that assaulting these teams is a criminal offense. The province is also contending with a rebel conflict, and operates under a military government.
The Ebola outbreak is spreading across six eastern Congo provinces under difficult conditions, exacerbated by rebel violence, displacement, and population movement. A weak healthcare system, insufficient contact tracing, and limited laboratory testing further challenge containment efforts. The outbreak is fueled by the Bundibugyo virus, for which there is no approved vaccine or treatment. While front-line health workers are being vaccinated with the Evrebo vaccine, its effectiveness against the current strain is not conclusively proven.
Health authorities estimate the true scale of the crisis could be three times the official figures, with projections suggesting it may surpass the 2014-2016 West Africa outbreak, which claimed over 11,000 lives. The situation is further complicated by occasional strikes by front-line health workers demanding back pay.
Trauma experts note that the impact extends beyond case numbers, affecting individuals and communities deeply. Rose Tchwenko, Mercy Corps country director in Congo, emphasized the need for an integrated, holistic response that includes social support for grieving families and front-line workers to break the chain of transmission.