More pregnant women are dying in eastern Congo as they forgo hospital care amid fears surrounding a rapidly spreading Ebola outbreak. In Ituri province, maternal mortality rates have nearly doubled since the current outbreak was declared on May 15.
Before the outbreak, an average of 3.1 maternal deaths occurred weekly in Ituri. This number has since climbed to 5.8 deaths per week, according to data from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The proportion of these deaths occurring outside of health centers has also risen, from 9.1% to 17.4%.
"With Ebola, it is stronger because Ebola has a lot of rumors," said Noemi Dalmonte, deputy country representative for UNFPA in Congo. She noted that some residents question the existence of Ebola, while others fear being isolated if they present with a fever, a common symptom.
Esther Lutula, a 26-year-old pregnant woman in Bunia, the capital of Ituri province, stopped attending prenatal checkups after the outbreak began. "That’s why I’m waiting until the disease is no longer widespread," she told The Associated Press.
This situation exacerbates an already critical issue in sub-Saharan Africa, which accounts for 70% of global maternal deaths. Congo has one of the highest rates of childbirths per woman and deaths related to childbirth worldwide. In 2023, at least 19,000 women died from pregnancy complications in Congo, a figure second only to Nigeria globally.
The Ebola outbreak has strained Congo's already overburdened healthcare system. Health facilities in the affected provinces are diverting staff and resources to combat the epidemic, reducing access to essential maternal care services. At least 44 health workers have died from Ebola, and many others have left their jobs due to issues like unpaid wages. Since the outbreak's declaration in mid-May, at least 12 attacks on health facilities and teams have been reported.
Dr. Sonny Mwembo, medical director at the Bénédicte Clinic in Bunia, reported a significant drop in prenatal care registrations, from 60 women per month to around 10. "Right now, if you feel sick and go to the hospital, they say it’s Ebola and they put you in quarantine right away. That’s what scares people," said Elodie Yabiri, a pregnant resident of Bunia who is also avoiding medical facilities.
Ebola is a rare but highly contagious and severe disease that spreads through contact with bodily fluids and contaminated surfaces. Pregnant women infected with Ebola face an increased risk of complications, including miscarriage, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Health and aid workers warn that women delaying essential care risk dying not from Ebola itself, but from the inaccessibility, distrust, or perceived lack of safety of medical services.