Ebola Patient and Mother Seized After Armed Assault on Butembo Hospital

Wed Jun 17 2026 14:48:08 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Six‑year‑old Ebola patient and her mother were taken from a hospital in Butembo by armed men, underscoring growing turmoil around treatment centers in eastern DR Congo.

Authorities in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo are hunting a six‑year‑old Ebola patient and her mother after armed men stormed Wanamahika Hospital in Butembo. Lesbians were seized by men brandishing knives amid longstanding mistrust toward Ebola centres. The incident follows a series of attacks on treatment facilities, including shootings, fires and the removal of bodies that have intensified the crisis. With the outbreak largely centred in Ituri and the Kivu provinces, conflict and misinformation complicate containment efforts as the Bundibugyo strain remains without a licensed vaccine.

In the early hours of Monday, armed men stormed Wanamahika Hospital in Butembo, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, seizing a six‑year‑old girl who had been admitted with Ebola and her mother.

Local health officer Dr Lubambo Maboko Gaston described the attackers as “very angry” and said they used knives to force entry into the treatment ward.

The action comes amid growing fear that Ebola treatment centres are targeted through suspicion and misinformation. Interviews with patients and relatives suggest that many view the disease as an overseas invention, blaming NGOs and hospitals as profiteers.

The current outbreak, caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain, has confirmed roughly 840 cases and 200 deaths in the provinces of Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu. To date, no vaccine is available for this strain and the World Health Organization warns that the ongoing conflict, particularly the M23 rebel group’s presence, hampers containment.

Earlier this month, crowds in Mongbwalu and Rwampara retaliated against what they saw as denial of body access, firing shots into the air and setting isolation tents ablaze. These defeats have further eroded confidence in health institutions.

Officials say the removal of the girl and her mother threatens not only the patients’ health but also public safety, as the Ebola virus can spread during ritual burial preparations.

The search for the missing patients is underway. Local authorities urge the child and her mother to seek immediate treatment elsewhere to avoid worsening their condition and to protect relatives.

As the outbreak continues to claim lives and overwhelm fragile health infrastructure, the international community watches closely, hoping for accelerated vaccine development and increased efforts to counter misinformation.