Providing Safe Spaces for Children Amid the DRC Ebola Outbreak
As the Democratic Republic of Congo confronts a resurgence of Ebola, health officials have opened specialized kindergartens adjacent to treatment centers. These facilities welcome children whose parents are undergoing care, offering shelter, daily supervision, and psychosocial support while reducing the chance of virus transmission.
The Need for Child‑Friendly Care During an Ebola Response
Separation and Safety
When a parent tests positive for Ebola and no other relative can assume caregiving duties, the child is temporarily placed in a kindergarten attached to the treatment unit. Celine Lusinde, head of the child protection office in Ituri province, explains the process: “If the mother has a child and there is no one to take care of the child, we separate them and the child is cared for here while the mother is at the treatment center.”1 This approach keeps families connected through regular, supervised visits while maintaining infection‑control protocols.
The centers adhere to strict hygiene standards—hand‑washing stations, personal protective equipment for staff, and routine disinfection of toys and sleeping areas—ensuring that the environment remains low‑risk for both children and caregivers.
Psychological Support and Holistic Care
Trauma‑Informed Interventions
Beyond meeting basic needs such as nutrition and shelter, the kindergartens employ psychologists who provide age‑appropriate counseling. Lusinde notes that specialists are “constantly busy supporting children suffering from emotional stress,” citing a recent case of three siblings, including a 16‑year‑old girl, who received ongoing therapy while their mother was isolated for treatment.1 Activities include play therapy, storytelling, and group sessions designed to help children process fear, loss, and disruption.
Such psychosocial services align with recommendations from the Inter‑Agency Standing Committee (IASC) on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergency Settings, which stress the importance of early emotional care to mitigate long‑term effects on child development.2 By integrating mental‑health support into daily routines, the centers aim to foster resilience and a sense of normalcy despite the surrounding crisis.
Ongoing Outbreak Statistics and Response
Current Case Count and Trends
According to the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Ministry of Health, as of June 30 2024 the country had recorded 1,406 confirmed Ebola cases and 438 deaths linked to the Bundibugyo strain of the virus.3 The World Health Organization’s latest situation report (July 5 2024) indicates a modest decline in new infections following intensified contact tracing and vaccination campaigns, yet warns that sporadic clusters persist in remote health zones.4 International partners, including Médecins Sans Frontières and the UNICEF‑led Ebola response, continue to reinforce surveillance, community engagement, and safe‑burial practices.
Broader Risks to Children Beyond Ebola
Disruption of Routine Health Services
UNICEF’s Ebola response communications coordinator, John James, highlights that the epidemic’s impact extends far beyond those directly infected. “Disruptions to health care, education, and family life can have lasting consequences for children, especially those under five,” he warns.5 Routine immunizations, malaria treatment, and diarrheal disease management often falter when health facilities are redirected or staff fall ill, increasing vulnerability to other prevalent illnesses.
Data from the DRC’s Health Management Information System show a 22 % drop in outpatient visits for malaria in the affected provinces during the peak of the outbreak compared with the same period in 2023.6 Such gaps underscore the need for integrated service delivery that sustains essential child health interventions alongside epidemic control.
Call for a Child‑Centered Response
Recommendations from Humanitarian Actors
Humanitarian organizations urge authorities and donors to keep children’s needs at the forefront of the Ebola response. Key actions include:
- Expanding the network of protected childcare units near all active treatment centers.
- Ensuring continuous psychosocial support through trained child psychologists and community‑based counselors.
- Maintaining routine vaccination, nutrition, and primary‑care services via mobile clinics when fixed facilities are compromised.
- Engaging local leaders to disseminate accurate information, reduce stigma, and encourage families to utilize available services.
- Monitoring and reporting child‑specific indicators (e.g., school attendance, malnutrition rates) to adapt interventions in real time.
By coupling infection‑prevention measures with comprehensive childcare, psychosocial care, and access to essential services, the kindergartens exemplify a model that safeguards some of the youngest and most vulnerable victims while their families battle the disease.
1 Lusinde, C. (Head of Child Protection Office, Ituri province). Personal communication, June 2024.
2 Inter‑Agency Standing Committee. (2023). Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergency Settings. Geneva: IASC.
3 Democratic Republic of Congo Ministry of Health. (June 30 2024). Ebola Situation Report. Kinshasa.
4 World Health Organization. (July 5 2024). Ebola Virus Disease – Democratic Republic of Congo: Situation Report No. 27. Geneva.
5 James, J. (UNICEF Ebola Response Communications Coordinator). Statement, June 2024.
6 DRC Health Management Information System. (2024). Outpatient Service Utilization Trends in Ebola‑Affected Provinces. Kinshasa.
