00:07According to Africa CDC, nearly 300 people who tested positive for Ebola have gone missing from the radar of health
00:14authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
00:18Burundi is facing a rise in the use of hard drugs. We'll have a report from our correspondent in Bujumbura.
00:30One year after the peace agreement between the DRC and Rwanda, stability remains fragile in eastern Congo, according to official
00:37reports.
00:41Welcome to Africa News Today. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, health authorities have lost contact with nearly 300
00:48patients who tested positive for Ebola.
00:50Conflict, population displacement and limited resources are hampering efforts to trace patients and contain the outbreak, according to Africa CDC.
00:59Almost 300 people who've tested positive for Ebola are unaccounted for, according to the head of the Africa Centers for
01:07Disease Control.
01:08The unknown whereabouts of the patients is raising serious concern about gaps in tracking and the uncontrolled spread of the
01:16deadly virus.
01:17DR Congo has confirmed more than 1,100 cases of Ebola since the outbreak was announced in mid-May.
01:24At least 291 people have died.
01:28The outbreak has been largely confined to the DRC. Uganda has reported 20 cases and two deaths.
01:36Last week, France announced that a doctor who'd just returned from Congo had tested positive for Ebola.
01:42But New World Health Organization projections are predicting more than 8,000 cases and 1,400 deaths by mid-September,
01:51with a 70% chance of the outbreak spreading to neighbouring South Sudan.
01:57Efforts by Congolese authorities and those in neighbouring countries are working to slow transmission, the WHO has said.
02:04But under the worst-case scenario, there could be more than 60,000 cases by September.
02:13In Burundi, health authorities and aid groups are raising the alarm over growing drug use, particularly among young people.
02:20To tackle the problem, rehabilitation centres are stepping up prevention and support for people struggling with addiction.
02:32As the world marks the international day against drug abuse, Burundi is seeing an increase in the use of drugs.
02:39At Stonebridge Centre in Bujumbura, founded by a former drug addict, hundreds of young people have been helped to recover
02:45since it opened its doors in 2021.
02:50More than 900 young people have already passed through the centre, but in addition to that, we conduct awareness campaigns
02:56in schools
02:57to prevent young people who haven't yet tried drugs from getting involved with them.
03:03Among them is Landry, an orphan and former drug addict.
03:08Thanks to the centre's services, he's recovered and now teaches computer skills to addicts undergoing treatment.
03:17Today, I have hope. I have a vision. I see that tomorrow, that the future will be better.
03:24Now I can see that I too can have a family and make plans for myself.
03:30With no shortage of regrets, Ferdinand admits he's lost a great deal, but is ready to go home.
03:37I have regrets, because when I look at my generation, today they're responsible people.
03:47They have families. They've made good progress in life.
03:50But me, instead of advancing, I've lost everything.
03:57Clinical psychologist Alain Joseph says the effects of drugs are severe.
04:05Firstly, on physical health, cardiovascular diseases, sexually transmitted infections and respiratory diseases,
04:12but also the most serious consequence.
04:15Users often develop mental health disorders, particularly depression and anxiety,
04:20as well as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
04:25But for those lucky enough to have access to strong bridge centre, help is at hand,
04:30offering people the chance to get their lives back on track.
04:37One year after the peace agreement signed in Washington between the DRC and Rwanda,
04:42the situation in Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo remains fragile.
04:46Despite commitments to ease tensions, violence continues between the Congolese army and several armed groups.
04:52On the ground, lasting stability and peace remain out of reach.
04:57One year after the DRC and Rwanda signed a peace agreement in Washington under the mediation of U.S. President
05:05Donald Trump,
05:06hopes for lasting stability in Eastern Congo remain uncertain.
05:11Residents say they have seen little change on the ground and complain that violence has continued despite the agreement.
05:20When they signed the agreement, we were happy because we thought the war would come to an end.
05:26But on the ground, it's the opposite.
05:29We continue to suffer.
05:32The DRC and Rwanda signed the agreement, but since we heard about it a year ago, nothing has changed.
05:38They signed this agreement and come back without any tangible solution.
05:45Independent analyst Yasin Marifa says,
05:48a future mediation effort must be built on genuine political will and mutual confidence.
05:55Without trust, it is very difficult for either side to honor this commitment.
06:01Just days after the agreement was signed, we saw both parties interpreting it to suit their own interests.
06:07They continued to use inflammatory rhetoric and that does nothing to build confidence.
06:12Marifa also argues that the peace process was undermined from the outset.
06:16According to him, actions taken after signing the agreement weakened its chances of success, leaving Eastern Congo still searching for
06:25peace.
06:27There were actions that in one way or another undermined the agreement, including sanctions imposed on one of the parties
06:35by the mediators.
06:36It was an agreement that was doomed to fail.
06:39It didn't take long for that to become clear.
06:42One year later, we still do not have peace.
06:44One year later, we still do not have peace.
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