“Thousands of women and their families already struggling to survive hunger, displacement and gender-based violence in eastern DRC now face, again, the terrifying threat of Ebola. We have years of experience of preparing to contain the spread of this killer virus, working alongside local leaders, youth and women’s groups, and community action cells. But today we have to do it with a lot less funding, supporting a local health system that is close to collapse and trying to prevent the spread in communities whose access to basic services such as clean water has been decimated by donor aid cuts. As caregivers, women are at heightened risk of exposure to infection. A combination of their immense needs already going unmet and the spread of this highly infectious virus could be devastating.”
– Dr. Amadou Bocoum, CARE DRC Country Director