Ebola emergency

A rare strain of the Ebola virus is putting children and vulnerable communities at risk in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, and cases have already been reported in a number of locations, increasing the urgency of the response. Across affected areas, children and families are facing increasing risks – not only from the virus, but from its wider impact on health services and daily life.

UNICEF is rapidly scaling up life-saving support, working with partners to help contain the outbreak and protect children and their communities.

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How Ebola affects children

Beyond the immediate physical danger, children may experience lasting emotional distress from witnessing the suffering of loved ones, facing isolation and enduring stigma within their communities. To protect children, the emergency response must address their specific needs:

• Abrupt separation: When parents are taken to treatment centres, children are often separated from their primary caregivers. Infants whose mothers are infected can no longer be breastfed and require urgent nutritional alternatives.
• Loss of loved ones: Children who lose their parents need long-term protection, mediation with extended families who may fear taking them in, and support to return to school – a critical step for their education and mental well-being.
• Stigma and discrimination: The fear surrounding Ebola can leave children isolated within their own communities. Dedicated psychosocial support is vital to help them feel accepted, valued, and supported.
• Child-specific medical care: Infected children require specialized nursing and rehabilitation. Malnourished children need therapeutic food formulated specifically for their bodies.

What’s happening now?

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the latest outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. It is being driven by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, which is believed to have begun circulating in April. Ongoing conflicts, limited humanitarian access and high cross-border movement complicate containment efforts and further increase the risk of transmission.

Crucially, there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment available, although early supportive care improves the prospects for survival.

It is urgent to engage with communities and provide information about the virus, help to find cases and get them the help they need, trace contacts, provide testing, and ensure other essential services continue. The backdrop of a rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation makes this harder. Health workers and frontline responders are also at risk and are working under enormous pressure to prevent further spread, in extremely difficult conditions. Their protection is paramount.

How UNICEF is responding to the Ebola outbreak

UNICEF is combining immediate emergency response and a community-based approach shaped by experience from previous Ebola outbreaks. Working closely with national authorities and partners, UNICEF’s response includes:

Immediate emergency response

• Rapid supply deployment: Essential infection prevention and control supplies – including personal protective equipment (PPE), disinfectants, soaps, water purification tablets and water tanks – have already been delivered to affected areas.
• Personnel on the ground: A multidisciplinary emergency rapid response team has been deployed to provide technical assistance, including supporting the more than 2,000 community health workers already in place, and working with other volunteer workforces to get people the help they need.
• Operational scale-up: UNICEF has activated a Level 3 corporate emergency – its highest institutional classification for humanitarian crises – to enable the immediate allocation of flexible funding, faster deployment of staff and simplified procedures for timely support to frontline teams.

>>> Learn more about UNICEF’s Ebola response in DRC and Uganda

A proven, community-led approach

During previous Ebola outbreaks, UNICEF established a highly effective, community-led approach that has proven effective in slowing transmission and protecting families:

• Building trust through community engagement: Because an Ebola response depends on community trust, UNICEF works closely with local leaders, Ebola survivors and youth and women’s networks. Through channels such as local radio, we also help families understand how the virus is transmitted and how to reduce their risk.
• Infection prevention and control and Water, sanitation and hygiene interventions: To help stop the spread of the virus, UNICEF trains and equips local hygiene teams to safely decontaminate homes, schools and health facilities when a new case is confirmed. UNICEF also supports the installation of critical handwashing stations and temperature screenings in public spaces.
• Front-line psychosocial support. Drawing on lessons from past outbreaks, UNICEF psychosocial teams provide timely support to affected families. These teams assist families through traumatic moments – from transferring a loved one to a treatment centre, to agreeing to household disinfection or organizing a Safe and Dignified Burial. They also track contact of cases for early detection.