00:07Patched on top of the rugged hills of Etui province in Northeastern Democratic Republic
00:12of Congo, Mongbalu is a little town that has long been famous for its lucrative artisanal
00:19gold mines. But today, the little town of about 140,000 people sits at the centre of
00:26a global health crisis. In early May, health authorities identified
00:32Mongbalu as the site of an outbreak of an unknown illness which would later be identified
00:38as a bundibujo strain of Ebola. Health authorities say that the highly mobile mining labour force,
00:45coupled with a large number of people displaced by violence and inadequate health infrastructure
00:51in Mongbalu, have fueled the spread of the virus in the area.
00:58In the middle of an Ebola outbreak, a rare reason to celebrate, a former patient has been discharged.
01:04He is one of dozens of people who have recovered in this health zone. Amid fear and confusion across
01:11the country, survivors offer living proof that Ebola is real and beatable.
01:18Diogracius Kaserika was the first patient to recover in Mongbalu.
01:24I was declared cured and discharged. I was the only patient to recover among all the confirmed Ebola
01:30cases that day. Sadly, all the others died.
01:39Kaserika now travels to local communities, raising awareness about prevention and encouraging anyone
01:46with symptoms to seek immediate medical care. His story is helping to break the persistent stigma
01:52surrounding the disease. Insecurity and poor health and transport infrastructure have made it hard for
01:58health care workers to reach key hotspots. Aid funding cuts by some key Western donors have also crippled
02:05operations, while health care workers have staged repeated strikes over unpaid wages. At times,
02:12hostile crowds have even targeted Ebola treatment centres and medical personnel.
02:20If you attack a health care centre or health care workers, even symptomatic people outside become
02:26afraid to come in for treatment. They fear youth groups or militiamen might target the facility. To ensure
02:32proper care and an effective response, security must be guaranteed.
02:41There are challenges in the health zones, particularly related to limited mobility and security issues.
02:47So far, we have 12 health areas. There's also a health zone located in the Mombasa territory about
02:5350 kilometers from here, to which access remains difficult.
03:01Against this backdrop, DRC Prime Minister Judith Sumenoa-Tuluka recently visited Mongwalu to evaluate
03:08ongoing containment efforts and announce additional state resources.
03:15We are considering the sustainability of Ebola response to ensure that the health system does
03:21not collapse after the pandemic. But for the public, my message is simple. Without community
03:27engagement, we cannot eradicate this disease. Further complicating the issue, the outbreak involves
03:34the rare Bundibujo strain for which there is currently no approved vaccine or treatment.
03:41Nearly 90 percent of the country's Ebola cases are concentrated in the northeastern province of Ituri,
03:48the home province of Mongwalu. As celebrations continue of a patient recovery, Mongwalu appears to
03:56be living up to its name, which means celebration in the local Nyali language. Every recovery offers a vital sign
04:03of hope
04:03in a fight that experts warn could last for months.
04:07and it's a co-sumized-life-life-life-life-life-life-life-life-life-life-life-life-life-life-life
04:07-life-life-life-life-life-life-life-life-life-life-life-life-life-life-life-life-life-life-life.
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