Ebola fuels mental health crisis in eastern DR Congo

Children have been disproportionately affected by the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, international humanitarian organizations warned, calling for more international support for the protection and improved mental health services for children in affected areas.

Some 476 children have been confirmed with Ebola infection, with at least 189 children having died in the Ebola outbreak in eastern DR Congo, leaving thousands more grappling with trauma, grief and fear, according to Save the Children.

More than 4,000 children in Ituri Province, the epicenter of the outbreak, are receiving mental health and psychosocial support through child-friendly spaces established by the organization to help them cope with the emotional toll of losing loved ones, displacement and the constant threat of infection.

The outbreak, declared in May, has so far infected more than 2,500 people across Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uele and Tshopo provinces, according to the latest figures from the country's National Institute of Public Health. Of those infected, 1,033 have died, resulting in a mortality rate of about 40 percent.

Aid workers from the organization said many children are living in fear after witnessing illness and death in their communities. Others have been separated from parents or caregivers because of illness, abandonment, isolation or death, leaving many in urgent need of emotional and psychological support.

"Children in Ituri are carrying an enormous emotional burden. Many have witnessed violence, lost loved ones because of the Ebola outbreak or lived through repeated displacement," said Babou Rukengeza, Save the Children's Ebola response team lead in DR Congo, in a statement.

The humanitarian crisis extends far beyond those infected with the virus. UNICEF estimates that nearly 3 million children and adolescents are at risk as the outbreak disrupts healthcare, education, nutrition and child protection services across eastern DR Congo, where years of armed conflict and displacement have already left families highly vulnerable.

According to UNICEF, more than one in five children in the affected areas have never received routine immunizations, making them more susceptible to preventable diseases.

The agency warned that insecurity, limited access to affected communities and gaps in disease surveillance continue to complicate response efforts and called for increased international support to protect children.

Anxiety among children and families is also growing over whether schools will safely reopen in September as new Ebola cases continue to emerge.

To help children recover, Save the Children said it has established more than 18 permanent and mobile child-friendly spaces across Ituri, where children take part in storytelling, educational songs, reading and writing, drawing, clay modeling and relaxation exercises designed to help them process trauma and rebuild confidence.

The activities have been adapted to reduce the risk of Ebola transmission through enhanced hygiene practices, physical distancing and other infection prevention measures while allowing children to safely interact with trained staff members and their peers.

Save the Children warned that prolonged stress and repeated exposure to adversity during childhood can have lasting consequences for children's cognitive development, emotional well-being and physical and mental health if adequate support is not provided.

The organization said many children in Ituri have changed the way they interact with others because of fear of infection, with some avoiding close contact with friends and adults.

sharon@chinadailyafrica.com