Water Scarcity Hampers Ebola Response in DRC’s Ituri Province

In Ndrele, a commercial hub of nearly 40,000 residents in Ituri, safe drinking water is virtually absent. Children leave home at dawn to fetch water, often returning after noon, a routine that underscores the region’s chronic water shortage. In May 2026, the Democratic Republic of the Congo declared its 17th Ebola outbreak in the province, the largest and fastest‑spreading in the country’s history, with over 5,000 cases and more than 2,400 deaths recorded by mid‑August. Health authorities urge frequent handwashing, yet clean water remains scarce. The Africa CDC has adapted its strategy, launching a joint response plan that includes assessing and strengthening water, sanitation and hygiene services in health facilities and providing training. Oxfam warns that most health facilities in the hardest‑hit areas still lack safe water and adequate sanitation.