DRC Ebola Outbreak: New Mercy Corps analysis finds water, sanitation and assistance gaps affecting prevention in displacement sites in Ituri

July 13, 2026

As the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo continues to expand, with the WHO warning that the virus is spreading largely undetected, a new Mercy Corps analysis from displacement sites in Ituri province shows why prevention is particularly challenging among communities who have already been displaced. Drawn from 70 interviews across seven displacement sites in Ituri, the analysis found that communities understand Ebola is real and dangerous, but many still do not have enough water, soap, aid, or trusted access to care to act early and reduce transmission risks.  

The findings point to an ongoing challenge at the center of the response - awareness alone is not enough if families lack the basic services and support needed to follow prevention advice, report symptoms early, and seek care safely. While the analysis focuses on displacement sites, where these challenges are especially severe, it also reflects wider pressure on water, sanitation, and health services across affected areas of Ituri.

The findings also come as the outbreak continues to grow, with Africa CDC describing it as the "fastest-growing ever Ebola outbreak on the continent.”

Key findings include: 

  • 81% of displaced households reported that they had not received any humanitarian support since the onset of the outbreak, with camps already affected by Ebola among the least reached. 
  • 98% of respondents said handwashing facilities were present, but too few and irregularly supplied with water and soap.
  • Self-medication remains the most common first response when symptoms appear, while fear of dying in a treatment center and fear of stigma continue to delay early reporting and care.
  • Women and girls face some of the greatest barriers to healthcare, clean water, sanitation, protection, and livelihoods.

Rose Tchwenko, Mercy Corps Country Director for the DRC, says: 

“We are asking people to hold the line against Ebola with very little to hold on to. With no approved vaccine or specific treatment for this strain, community trust, early care-seeking, access to clean water, and handwashing stations supplied with soap are not luxuries to the response; they are what make containment possible. 

"In the sites Mercy Corps assessed, more people now understand that Ebola is real and deadly. But handwashing points are too few and are not reliably supplied with water and soap, and most households reported receiving no humanitarian assistance during the outbreak. Some people are still treating themselves at home because of the fear of treatment centers and stigma outweighing trust in the response. Fear and mistrust, not ignorance, are what buy this virus time. 

"Funding must reach the community level quickly and flexibly, so families have the basic support they need to protect themselves and seek care early.”

Since 2007, Mercy Corps has supported communities in the DRC by improving access to clean water and sanitation, strengthening livelihoods, promoting good governance, and enhancing emergency response. 

Mercy Corps has worked in Bunia and Rwampara before the outbreak and has scaled up responses to complement the government-led effort. Our teams are supporting community engagement, water and sanitation services, including water trucking and handwashing units in public areas, infection prevention, risk communication through local radio, and psychosocial support for frontline workers and affected families, with protection and conflict mitigation integrated throughout our programs. 

Notes to Editors 

  • The full Mercy Corps Crisis Analysis Team report, Understanding Ebola Risk in Ituri’s IDP Sites: Perceptions, Prevention Constraints and Response Needs, is available here.
  • The analysis is based on 70 key informant interviews conducted between 19 June and 5 July 2026 across seven displacement sites in Ituri, with community leaders, community health workers, and representatives of displaced persons' committees. The findings reflect what these key informants reported and are indicative rather than statistically representative of a household survey. 
  • Over 922,000 internally displaced persons in Ituri—with women accounting for 51%— where crowded sites and limited basic services make Ebola prevention harder. (IOM) 

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