DRC: How armed conflict is affecting Ebola response

DRC: How armed conflict is affecting Ebola response

From Focus on Africa by BBC World Service

June 10, 2026 · 23 min

About this episode

The episode discusses the impact of armed conflict on the Ebola response in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

There has been continued violence in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo in recent months as rebel groups and armed forces wrestle for territorial control. DR Congo's North and South Kivu provinces have been the epicentre of the ongoing Ebola outbreak, along with Ituri Province where more than 560 cases of the virus have been reported. Parts of these eastern areas are under the control of rebel group M23, whose clashes with government forces have brought additional difficulties in dealing with the virus. We hear from a humanitarian worker in Goma, eastern DRC. Also, are AI assistants increasingly leaning towards established gender stereotypes in their responses and interactions? Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna Producers: Bella Twine, Victor Chege and Blessing Aderogba Technical Producer: Maxwell Onyango Senior Producer: Keikantse Shumba Editors: Charles Gitonga and Maryam Abdalla

People in this episode

Host: Nkechi Ogbonna

Topics covered

  • Ebola outbreak
  • armed conflict
  • humanitarian response
  • Democratic Republic of Congo
  • health crisis
  • rebel groups
  • territorial control

Keywords

  • Ebola
  • Democratic Republic of Congo
  • armed conflict
  • humanitarian aid
  • M23
  • North Kivu
  • South Kivu
  • Ituri Province
  • health crisis

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: M23

Places: Democratic Republic of Congo, North Kivu, South Kivu, Ituri Province

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