Kinshasa: THE United Nations (UN) has condemned an attack on an Ebola treatment centre in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on Friday, which led to the death of a doctor working for the World Health Organization (WHO), and injured two others.
Doctor Valery Mouzoko Kiboung was an epidemiologist deployed by WHO in response to the outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus disease that began last August, in the eastern North Kivu area of DRC, which is home to dozens of armed groups.
UN chief Antonio Gueterres called on the Congolese authorities “to spare no effort in identifying and swiftly bringing to justice the perpetrators” of the attack at Butembo Hospital, and extended his deepest condolences to the bereaved family, and a swift recovery to the injured.
UN Secretary-General Tedros Adhanom Gebrevesus in a statement said the killing was “a tragic reminder of the risks health workers take every day, to protect the lives and health of others. We are outraged by this attack: health workers and health facilities must never be targets”.
WHO said that the attack had taken place while a coordination meeting on fighting the Ebola outbreak had been taking place.
“We are assessing the security situation to ensure the safety of all patients, health workers, and Ebola responders. At the same time, we remain committed to continue supporting the Ministry of Health of DRC, to end this oubreak as quickly as possible,” Tedros said.
More than 1,200 confirmed and probable cases of Ebola have been recorded since the outbreak began, with more than 760 deaths confirmed.
