February 27th a group of young men dressed as football players were kicking a ball around a pitch besides an Ebola treatment centre in Butembo, a city in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Suddenly men with guns and machetes sprang out of the bush and handed weapons to those masquerading as footballers. Together, they charged into the centre. As the sick fled, along with health workers, the men splashed petrol around before tossing in lit matches.
The province of North Kivu is no stranger to misery—it has long been home to some 120 militia groups that regularly rape and terrorise. Now it is also the site of the world’s second-largest outbreak of Ebola, a virus that makes people gush blood from every orifice. Since being detected seven months ago, the virus has spread to nearly 1,000 people and probably killed 600. Its emergence in what is in effect a war zone makes it hard to contain.
The attacks have prompted Médecins Sans Frontières to close a treatment centre and leave Butembo. They may also deter patients from getting treatment. Almost half of the deaths in this outbreak are occurring in villages, not clinics, suggesting many of the sick are not seeking help. “Security is still our number one concern and could reverse the gains we have made,” says theSome premeditated attacks have been blamed on Mai Mai rebels.
Some, perhaps, are in search of loot. Aid workers are conspicuously richer than most locals, and present a tempting target. Another problem is that many locals see health workers as an arm of the government, which they detest. It does not help that the government keeps trying to force people into treatment centres where, since they are already sick, many die.
They're stupid
This is really unfortunate for the patients that will no doubt die a painful death now, very sad and preventable.
Health Health Latest News, Health Health Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Source: washingtonpost - 🏆 95. / 72 Read more »