Ebola outbreak strains healthcare system already overwhelmed by conflict in eastern DRC

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is hitting a region already strained by decades of armed conflict, insecurity and an overwhelmed health system, according to a France 24 interview with Stephanie Hoffmann, project coordinator for Butembo, North Kivu, at Doctors Without Borders (MSF).

Hoffmann, speaking to France 24's Eve Irvine, described the disease as "terrifying" as the epidemic's epicentre shifts from Ituri province to North Kivu, with the outbreak spreading and transmission accelerating, according to the interview.

Butembo, a densely populated city of around two million people, is at the centre of this shift, France 24 reported. Health workers there are described as being placed in an especially difficult position, often caring for neighbours and relatives without adequate protective equipment.

The interview highlights how the region's long-running instability complicates the humanitarian response: healthcare infrastructure already strained by conflict must now also contend with an infectious disease outbreak requiring strict containment measures and protective resources that are reportedly in short supply.

France 24's report does not provide specific case or fatality figures from the current outbreak, focusing instead on the conditions facing health workers and residents in Butembo as MSF continues its response in the area.