The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has inaugurated a second Ebola Treatment Centre in North Kivu Province to strengthen its response to the latest outbreak of the deadly virus, as health authorities work to improve patient care and contain the spread of the disease.
The 20-bed facility, located at Beni General Hospital, is designed to provide specialised treatment for Ebola patients and reduce pressure on existing health facilities in one of the three provinces affected by the outbreak.
North Kivu Provincial Minister of Health, Prisca Luanda Kamala, said the new centre is the second standardised Ebola Treatment Centre in the province after the Katwa facility.
She said additional treatment and transit centres would be established in line with the government’s plan to strengthen the province’s capacity to respond to Ebola outbreaks and protect residents.
The inauguration comes as Beni recorded its first Ebola survivor of the current outbreak. The female patient, Kavira Mukelu Charline, was discharged in late June after completing treatment.
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A doctor managing Ebola patients, Jeremie Katsavara, said her recovery demonstrates that Ebola is treatable when patients seek medical care early. He expressed hope that the survivor would help raise public awareness and encourage communities to report symptoms promptly.
Chief Medical Officer of the Beni Health Zone, Michel Tosalisana, also urged residents to seek immediate medical attention, stressing that early diagnosis and treatment significantly improve survival chances.
According to health authorities, the DRC had recorded more than 1,500 confirmed Ebola cases across three affected provinces as of Sunday, including 506 deaths. More than 250 patients have recovered, while 628 others remain in isolation or are receiving treatment.
The authorities say efforts are being intensified to contain the outbreak through expanded treatment facilities, public awareness campaigns and early case detection.
Africanews
