In the mining town of Mongbwalu in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), 40-year-old Sadiki Patrick is mourning the loss of his 15-year-old daughter Judith to Ebola. This marks the country's 17th outbreak in 50 years.

Patrick struggles with grief: “Losing my third child in her youth is heartbreaking. I sent her to school to become a valuable member of society. Now she is gone.” He accused authorities of failing to act quickly to contain the outbreak.

According to the DRC Ministry of Health, over 500 suspected Ebola cases have been recorded, with more than 130 deaths. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) dispatched experts to Ituri province to strengthen the response.

Dr. Francine Mbona Pendeza, who fought Ebola in North Kivu, cited unsafe food practices, limited clean water, and weak healthcare as factors. “In remote areas, you travel kilometers to a hospital, only to find unqualified staff,” she said.

Geopolitical analyst Gloire Koko described epidemics in eastern DRC as consequences of armed conflict. “People focus on war and forget healthcare,” he said. Save the Children warned the crisis could worsen due to conflict, displacement, and compromised health systems.

Patrick recalled his daughter: “From now on, there will be an empty seat at our dining table. We miss her so much.”

Source: www.aljazeera.com