The Ebola Disease Treatment Center (ETC), located in the Butembo Health Zone in Nord Kivu Province, was set on fire Wednesday, February 27, early in the evening. The information was confirmed a few minutes later by the mayor of the city, Sylvain Kanyamanda, on the phone by the correspondents of 7sur7.cd.
Witnesses of the event report that strangers made an abrupt appearance in this CTE. They created panic, before sparing the fuel and setting fire to the teams' offices.
Death and material damage
The elements of the forces of the order quickly intervened, inform the local sources. They fired a few bullets in the air to dissuade the attackers who escaped into the wild. Asked about it, the local security authorities say that investigations are already under way to establish the responsibilities and arrest the real authors of the tragedy. The provisional record of this unfortunate event, they say, reports a death on the side of the nurses, a vehicle and two motorbikes burned.
Highly security around CTE
Local civil society actors denounce the resurgence of attacks targeting Ebola treatment centers in the province of Nord Kivu. They attribute this umpteenth attack to the Mai-Mai elements. Suspending its activities in the Katwa CTE, following the incidents that occurred on February 24, Doctors without Borders (MSF) criticizes the crisis of confidence observed between local communities and the actors of the local response.
"Without the acceptance and trust of communities, Ebola patients and deaths will remain hidden and health workers will always face threats and aggression," said MSF Executive Director Meinie Nicolai during her recent visit to Nord Kivu. The fire in Butembo health zone comes four days after the Kirimavolamo fire in the health zone of Katwa, in the same city of Butembo. Local health workers are calling on the authorities to strengthen security in the Beni, Béni town and Butembo CTE, in order to promote the effective holding of national and provincial legislative elections in this region next March, in accordance with the calendar of the CENI.
(CKS/Yes)