Good news in the fight against the Ebola epidemic in Ituri. Four patients, all members of the healthcare staff at the Evangelical Medical Center (EMC) in Bunia, were declared cured this Sunday, May 31, 2026.
Officially presented to the press, these survivors—three men and one woman—had contracted the virus while performing their duties. With these four recoveries, the total number of people officially cured now stands at five since the start of the epidemic, declared by the government 17 days ago.
An Effective Therapeutic Approach
Dr. Calvin Ambitapio, medical director of the EMC, explained that the protocol followed was based on rigorous symptomatic treatment, including malaria prophylaxis and the administration of antibiotics.
“We are very pleased to see that a disease which currently has neither a specific treatment nor a vaccine can be overcome through effective symptomatic management,” the doctor said optimistically, hoping to see the number of recoveries increase in the coming days. After several days of clinical observation and daily testing, follow-up examinations came back negative, confirming their recovery.
A call for trust from authorities
The ceremony was also attended by Jeanne Alasha, the provincial governor’s advisor on health.
She took the opportunity to deliver a strong message to the population: it is crucial to trust local health services to curb the spread of the virus.
This therapeutic breakthrough is a welcome relief in a context where national authorities, supported by international partners such as the WHO, UNICEF, and MONUSCO, are intensifying their response to contain the epidemic in Ituri province.
With Okapi
