In Bulape locality, Kasai Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo, the first signs of Ebola were detected in a maternity ward when a pregnant woman arrived with severe symptoms, including difficulty breathing and haemorrhage. Tragically, the mother, newborn, and midwife Juliette, who accidentally pricked herself with a contaminated needle, all succumbed to the disease. Another staff member, Antho, who followed strict safety procedures such as glove use and handwashing, remained uninfected, highlighting the critical importance of infection prevention and control (IPC) in healthcare settings.
Following this incident, Ebola response efforts in Bulape focused heavily on strengthening IPC measures across the hospital and maternity ward. Key interventions included patient screening and triage at entry points, establishing separate pathways to reduce cross-infection, promoting hand hygiene, implementing safe injection practices, ensuring regular cleaning, providing personal protective equipment (PPE), and enforcing strict waste management procedures.
To make these practices sustainable, an IPC committee was established, and extensive training was conducted for 75 hygienists, 32 nurses, and 18 doctors. Training emphasized triage, hand hygiene, safe injections, waste management, proper PPE use, environmental hygiene, and safe delivery practices. These efforts significantly improved staff safety and confidence in managing patients, ensuring that healthcare work could continue without unnecessary risk.
The Ebola outbreak in Kasai Province, declared on 4 September 2025, initially involved 28 suspected cases and 15 deaths, including four healthcare workers. By 19 October, authorities were preparing to declare the outbreak over, with a total of 53 confirmed cases, 34 deaths, and 11 probable cases reported. Strengthened IPC practices allowed health personnel to work with confidence, transforming daily deliveries into safer procedures for both staff and patients.
The World Health Organization supported these efforts by assessing capacity in 16 health facilities across 10 health zones, developing improvement plans, providing supervision, mentorship, 200 pieces of PPE, 20 pediatric beds and mattresses, and a safe water supply system. These resources ensured the maternity ward could operate safely and sustainably, restoring community trust and patient confidence.
Healthcare workers like Antho emphasized that IPC is not an additional burden but a critical measure for personal and patient safety. The experience in Bulape reinforced a vital lesson: to save others, health workers must first protect themselves. The strengthened IPC framework now ensures safer care, improved staff morale, and increased community confidence in healthcare services during ongoing and future outbreaks.
