Ebola outbreak in Congo linked to rise in maternal deaths, pregnant women avoid hospitals
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The ongoing Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has led to a sharp rise in maternal deaths as many pregnant women avoid hospitals due to fear and misinformation surrounding the disease.
The outbreak, declared on May 15, has been centred in Ituri province.
According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the average number of maternal deaths in Ituri nearly doubled after the outbreak, rising from 3.1 deaths per week before the outbreak to 5.8 deaths per week between May 25 and July 19.
Deaths occurring outside health facilities also increased from 9.1 per cent to 17.4 per cent during the same period, according to UNFPA data.
Many pregnant women have stopped attending prenatal checkups because they fear being isolated if they develop a fever, despite fever being common during pregnancy. Some residents also continue to question the existence of Ebola or believe anyone reporting illness will automatically be quarantined.
Health workers said hospital visits by pregnant women have fallen sharply.
The outbreak has also strained Congo's healthcare system.
Health facilities in affected provinces have diverted staff and supplies to Ebola response efforts, reducing access to maternal healthcare. At least 44 infected health workers have died, while many others have stopped working over unpaid wages. Authorities have also recorded at least 12 attacks on health facilities and response teams since the outbreak began.
Congo is battling its fastest-growing Ebola outbreak on record, with more than 1,600 confirmed deaths. The current strain has no approved treatment or vaccine.
According to the latest UN data, at least 19,000 women in Congo died from pregnancy-related complications in 2023, one of the highest totals globally. Health experts warned that women delaying medical care risk dying from preventable pregnancy complications even if they never contract Ebola.