Ebola treatment center welcomes community to visit in bid to build trust

By Africanews with AP

The Ebola Treatment Center in Beni, the epicenter of the Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo, opened its doors Wednesday to the members of the Motorcycle Taxi Drivers’ Association Platform.

The goal was to dispel misconceptions about the Ebola Treatment Center in order to prevent it from being attacked by local communities.

Dr. Jérémie Muhindo, the head of Ebola Response in Beni, said that they showed the members of the Motorcycle Taxi Drivers’ Platform the process.

“How patients are admitted, and how caregivers, companions, or family members come to check on their loved ones’ progress. So they were truly amazed,” said Muhindo.

Judith Kavira, a member of the Motorcycle Taxi Drivers’ Platform, said she found that “there’s no cause for concern” at the site.

Health services were under severe strain as the region grapples with the deadliest Ebola outbreak in history, that has killed more than 3,300 people, with more than 6,800 confirmed cases recorded.

Since May, health workers and burial teams have been attacked by bereaved families across the front line of the outbreak.

At least a dozen attacks have taken place against facilities involved in Ebola care, primarily due to fear of the disease, misinformation, and mistrust of health care workers.