Congo Maternal Deaths Double as Pregnant Women Avoid Ebola Clinics

An unfolding shadow crisis across eastern Congo is threatening decades of public health progress as pregnant women shun medical facilities during the fastest-growing Ebola epidemic ever recorded. While national health authorities and international partners battle a viral pathogen that has surpassed 3605 confirmed cases and killed more than 1587 people, a parallel emergency is silently claiming the lives of mothers and infants in Ituri and surrounding provinces.

The Mathematics of a Maternity Crisis in Ituri

Before the outbreak was formally declared on May 15, 2026, Ituri province recorded an average of 3.1 maternal deaths per week. In the weeks following the declaration, that average leaped to 5.8 deaths per week, according to figures compiled by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). At the same time, the proportion of maternal deaths occurring outside established health centers jumped from 9.1 percent to 17.4 percent.

The convergence of fear, misinformation, and stretched healthcare resources has fundamentally altered patient behavior. Pregnant women who previously relied on local clinics for prenatal care are now choosing to deliver at home without professional assistance, risking their lives to avoid what they perceive as hospital-based hazards.

Fever Triage and Isolation Fears at Hospital Gates

At the center of the avoidance behavior is a widespread misconception surrounding hospital screening protocols. Under the emergency response measures put in place to contain the outbreak, patients presenting with a fever or elevated temperature face immediate triage and isolation.

Esther Lutula, a 26-year-old resident of Bunia, stopped attending her prenatal checkups shortly after the outbreak began. That’s why I’m waiting until the disease is no longer widespread, she told reporters from her home, explaining her fear of being placed into isolation simply for running a common pregnancy-related fever.

That sentiment is echoed across the provincial capital. Right now, if you feel sick and go to the hospital, they say it’s Ebola and they put you in quarantine right away. That’s what scares people, said Elodie Yabiri, another heavily pregnant Bunia resident who avoids medical facilities entirely.

Healthcare facilities are bearing the brunt of this distrust. At the Bénédicte Clinic in Bunia, the monthly number of women registered for prenatal care plummeted from 60 down to approximately 10, according to Dr. Sonny Mwembo, the medical director.

Strained Infrastructure and the Toll on Healthcare Workers

The epidemic has severely strained an already fragile healthcare system across the five affected provinces—Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uélé, and Tshopo. Health facilities have redirected essential staff and medical supplies toward the viral response, leaving routine obstetric care severely understaffed and under-resourced.

Noemi Dalmonte, deputy country representative of the UNFPA in Congo, warned that expectant mothers delaying care could be a deadly mistake. Dalmonte noted that while public health emergencies frequently trigger community apprehension, with Ebola, it is stronger because Ebola has a lot of rumors.

Broader Regional Risks Across Sub-Saharan Africa

The situation in eastern Congo highlights vulnerabilities shared across the wider region. Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for 70 percent of global maternal deaths, recording approximately 180,000 pregnancy-related fatalities annually. Public health officials in neighboring countries, including Uganda, are closely monitoring the unfolding crisis as cross-border population movements continue.

While Uganda successfully declared an end to its own localized Bundibugyo virus outbreak on July 28 following 42 days without a new transmission, health agencies emphasize that neighboring nations remain at continuous risk of imported cases due to ongoing, intense transmission within the Democratic Republic of the Congo.