The race against Ebola
The IFRC and Red Cross National Societies in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda are working around the clock to fight back against a devastating disease
A rapidly evolving emergency
The Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is a rapidly evolving public health emergency unfolding in communities already facing insecurity, displacement and fragile healthcare systems.
In all the key hotspots where the outbreak has taken hold `— Mongbwalu, Bunia and Rwampara — Red Cross volunteers are moving from door to door, speaking with families, answering questions and helping communities understand how to protect themselves and when to seek care.
“The IFRC has activated our highest level of emergency response," says Laura Archer, IFRC Lead on Clinical Care and Public Health in Emergencies. "We are scaling up our activities, including the activation of our regional and global emergency surge deployment mechanisms.”
- At the heart of the response, teams of trained volunteers from the Red Cross of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Uganda Red Cross have been working tirelessly providing critical life-saving information as well as Safe and Dignified Burials to ensure no one is exposed to the disease as they grieve their lost loved ones.
- Safe and dignified burial teams are being trained and mobilised in affected areas. During Ebola outbreaks, funerals can become moments of heightened risk for transmission, but they are also deeply emotional moments for families and communities. Supporting burials that are both safe and respectful is essential to protecting public health and preserving dignity and trust.
- Critical supplies such as Safe and Dignified Burial kits and Personal Protective Equipment have been dispatched by the IFRC to the affected areas from Kinshasha and Dubai.
- The IFRC has deployed specialized public health teams and experts to the affected areas.
- Coordination mechanisms have been activated between IFRC teams in Kinshasa, Kampala, Nairobi, and Geneva.
The heart of the response
The Red Cross Society of the Democratic Republic of Congo, supported by IFRC, is at the heart of this response. Red Cross staff and volunteers in DRC have extensive experience in Ebola outbreak response and they are working alongside health authorities and partners in all all the impacted areas.
“Since the beginning of this response, we see their commitment, their presence,“ says Dr. John Muhito, chief doctor for the health sector of Rwampara, another area impacted by Ebola. "It’s comforting, and it’s really a great help for the response team."
“The volunteers are the bridge between the health teams and the communities. They will be in charge of spreading the message about the disease that currently ravages our province.”
This bridge is critical because outbreaks can escalate quickly if cases are not identified early; communities lack reliable information, or health systems are overwhelmed.
The evolving situation underlines the need for strong local and regional coordination, preparedness, and sustained international support.
"Many people in these communities have lived through previous outbreaks before," adds Archer. "They remember the fear. They remember rumours spreading through villages. They remember neighbours disappearing into treatment centres and families being unable to bury loved ones in the way they normally would.
Still, she notes, the community reactions remain mixed. "For some people, the outbreak is very real, and they are seeking information on how to protect themselves and their families. For others, there is still suspicion and misinformation with claims that Ebola is fabricated.”
The critical role of trust
Building and nurturing trust is key in containing this outbreak—it is one of our strongest allies.
On the streets of Bunia, volunteers go door to door, sharing information about how to detect and prevent the spread of Ebola.
“The volunteers working in the Bunia health sector have been roaming the streets to bring messages regarding the Ebola virus disease: What is this disease? how does it get transmitted and how can we prevent it?” says Delphin Chanumula, community engagement coordinator for the DRC Red Cross.
Chanumula has seen some hopeful signs in communities that once resisted safe and dignified burials.
Where there was once skepticism, she sees more people approaching volunteers and asking questions about how to protect themselves.
“This in the same places where people were blocking volunteers from performing safe and dignified burials.”
This kind of daily presence of people from the affected community, or nearby, is critical to building and maintaining the trust needed to ensure people know how to identify, report, prepare for and prevent Ebola.
"They are not outsiders; they are part of these communities," says Gabriela Arenas Regional, Operations Coordinator for IFRC Africa Region.
"People know them and trust that they have the community’s best interests at heart, provide vital information, and handle their dead with safe and dignified burials."
"During an Ebola outbreak, trust and community acceptance can mean the difference between containment and wider transmission."
"They need practical, respectful, culturally appropriate support rooted in the realities of their communities," adds Arenas.
The Red Cross is uniquely placed to support this work through its long-standing presence and trusted relationships within affected communities, combined with a global network of experts.
"The stigma surrounding this disease is very significant, and the volunteers’ work is essential to debunk the myths surrounding it," says IFRC Operations Coordinator Bruno Michon, while working in in Mongbwalu.
"The DRC Red Cross has been doing exemplary work with and for the community. Thanks to the work of the DRC Red Cross, we will succeed in overcoming this 17th Ebola outbreak."
Getting the message
In many affected areas, radio remains one of the most trusted and accessible ways for communities to receive information.
Local radio stations are helping share public health messages, answer questions and counter misinformation at a time when fear and rumours can spread quickly.
Life saving work under attack
Despite their best efforts, some still resist the efforts of health workers and local volunteers.
Sometimes, Red Cross volunteers even come under attack. One of the more recent episodes came on 1 June 2026, when volunteers carrying out a safe and dignified burial operation in Bunia were injured in the violent incident while performing their humanitarian duties.
Soon after, the IFRC issued a statement recognising that "communities across the DRC face immense challenges as the Ebola outbreak continues to spread."
"We recognise the fear, uncertainty and frustration felt by many people," the statement continued. "Building trust and maintaining dialogue with communities through community engagement remain essential to bringing the outbreak under control."
"Attacks against volunteers not only endanger lives, they also undermine efforts to contain the outbreak and protect communities."
"We understand that current procedures pose a challenge for communities wishing to maintain their funeral rites. We remain committed to balancing the public health imperative of containing the outbreak with respect for local customs, traditions and dignity."
"Misinformation and rumours fuel fear, undermine public health efforts and increase risks for both communities and humanitarian workers. Sustained engagement with communities and transparent communication are essential to addressing concerns, countering misinformation and building trust."
"The Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement calls for respect, acceptance and support for volunteers working on the frontlines of the Ebola response.
Despite the challenges, the Red Cross remains committed to working alongside communities, authorities and partners to help stop the outbreak, protect lives and support those affected."
A regional response
What is happening in eastern DRC also has implications beyond the immediate outbreak zone.
As the outbreak has spilled over to Uganda and there is risk in neighbouring countries, the epidemics has taken a regional scale reinforcing the urgent need for regional coordination and preparedness across neighbouring countries.
Local teams from the Uganda Red Cross, supported by the IFRC, are drawing on years of local and regional experience to deliver aid safely. The Uganda Red Cross is already supporting readiness efforts alongside national authorities in border areas.
The IFRC Emergency Appeal for 29 million Swiss Francs will help support the scale-up of community engagement, surveillance, safe and dignified burials, infection prevention, as well as cross-border coordination and readiness activities.
But above all, this response will depend on communities themselves. We have learned from the past that epidemics are not contained by medical response alone.
They are contained when communities trust the response, when people have reliable information, and when local action is supported quickly and consistently.
Our message today is clear: this outbreak can still be contained, but the window for action is narrow. What happens in the coming days — in homes, in communities and across borders — will matter enormously.
Critical supplies being delivered
One case in point: A significant shipment of Safe and Dignified Burials kits and Personal Protective Equipment was delivered to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This is just one of the many ways the IFRC is supporting the rapidly evolving Ebola virus disease outbreak. But we need more support to ensure the workers at the front lines of this outbreak get the support they need.
How can you help?
Click here to support the IFRC's regional Ebola Emergency Appeal.
By working together and supporting the community response, this outbreak can be contained - we've done it before. This outbreak can be contained if communities are at the center of the response, and action is local, adaptable, coordinated, and sustained.
More information and resources:
Article: IFRC delivers critical supplies to eastern DRC amid ongoing Ebola outbreak
Statement: IFRC saddened by the deaths of three DRC Red Cross volunteers in Ituri Province
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