Dr. Amadou Bocoum, CARE Country Director in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, issued a statement on the newly declared Ebola outbreak in the DRC and Uganda, which the World Health Organization has classified as a public health emergency of international concern. He emphasized that thousands of women and families already struggling with hunger, displacement, and gender‑based violence in eastern DRC now face the renewed threat of Ebola.
He noted that CARE has years of experience working with local leaders, youth groups, and community action cells to contain the spread of the virus. However, current efforts are hampered by reduced funding, a collapsing local health system, and diminished access to basic services such as clean water due to donor aid cuts. Bocoum stressed that women, as primary caregivers, are at heightened risk of exposure, and the combination of unmet needs with the spread of Ebola could have devastating consequences.
