Doctors' Perilous Fight Against Ebola in the DRC

Amid the ongoing Ebola outbreak, doctors in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are treating symptomatic patients and facing shortages of crucial protective and diagnostic equipment. Amy Maxmen, PhD, public health correspondent and editor at KFF Health News, reports on the situation.

MONGBWALU, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO - MAY 24: Community members watch as health workers wearing protective equipment prepare for a safe burial operation in the community of Mongbwalu on May 24, 2026 in Mongbwalu, Ituri Province, Democratic Republic of Congo. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda a "public health emergency of international concern," as the death toll and number of confirmed cases continue to rise. The current epidemic is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, one of several Orthoebolaviruses that can cause Ebola disease, and for which there are no approved vaccines. The highest number of cases have been reported in Congo's eastern Ituri province, bordering Uganda. Global health officials have expressed grave concern over the capacity to contain the outbreak in a region already facing a humanitarian crisis, with highly mobile populations displaced by conflict and economic factors. (Photo by Michel Lunanga/Getty Images)