Democratic Republic of the Congo - Ebola response: Disinformation kills, care saves lives

“They said that at the hospital, they would give my child bad injections and he would die,” says Jeanne*, her voice trembling. These words deeply marked this mother whose six year old child showed suspected symptoms of Ebola. Out of fear of treatment centres, she first sought solutions elsewhere. When her child was finally taken to a health facility, his condition was already critical. Forty eight hours later, he died.

Today, Jeanne shares her testimony to prevent other families from experiencing the same tragedy.

It all began with a fever and vomiting. Thinking it was malaria, she opted for self medication. But her child’s condition did not improve. Around her, disinformation portrayed Ebola as a commercial scheme and claimed that patients received lethal injections in treatment centres. These falsehoods fueled her mistrust.

She then consulted a traditional healer her family had relied on before. “I took my son to our healer. I had hope because he had treated our family for a long time,” Jeanne explains.

The child gradually weakened. As his condition worsened, the healer recommended transfer to a health facility. “It was truly painful to lose my child. I deeply regret not going quickly to the health centre,” says the grieving mother.

Her testimony reveals how disinformation can influence decisions about seeking appropriate care.

For Salif Diarra, social listening analyst at the World Health Organization (WHO), this story should not be seen as an individual fault. “This mother wanted to protect her child. But rumours fueled fear that influenced her decision. When a family sees the treatment centre as a threat, they may hesitate to seek help, even as their loved one’s condition deteriorates,” he says.

Such accounts are not isolated. Social listening teams regularly identify claims about supposed lethal injections and rumours that undermine trust in public health interventions.

To address this, WHO supports health authorities in analysing community concerns through media, social networks and the toll free number 151.

Between May and September 2026, more than 34 650 items of online content were analysed, including rumours and concerns.

Three times a week, Ministry of Health and WHO teams review information gathered from communities to identify mis- and disinformation that could delay care seeking. According to Diarra, these exchanges help adapt messages and interventions to community concerns, strengthening trust in the Ebola response.

In Rwampara health zone, demystification sessions were organized to address fears about treatment centres. WHO, with partner support, also helped train 100 traditional healers, 20 social media influencers and 150 hotline operators to improve access to reliable information.

In Ituri, these efforts include community dialogues and public forums. Frédérick Mungobijira, head of infodemic management in Ituri, recalls a situation in Katogu health area where rumours had sparked strong resistance to response teams. “We organized community dialogues with local leaders to explain the disease and fight misinformation. After these exchanges, response teams were able to access communities that had previously been hostile.”

Since the start of the outbreak, more than 1000 rumours have been addressed in Ituri. These interventions help reduce resistance and encourage early care seeking.

For Jeanne, healing also requires psychological support. After her child’s death, she attends sessions with a WHO psychologist who helps her express her grief and gradually regain emotional balance. “The psychologist helps me a lot. He listens, advises and supports me. Today, I feel better,” she says.

Jeanne’s sister denounces the influence of rumours, disinformation and misinformation. “Some people said it was dangerous to take a sick person to the hospital, that they might never return alive. Today, we stay close to our sister, listen to her and encourage her to overcome this ordeal. We are all deeply affected. The little one was full of life,” she says.

For Diarra, restoring trust requires listening to communities and responding concretely to their concerns. “Reliable information must be accessible, understandable and delivered by people communities trust. We must listen to families’ fears and respond with respect,” he says.

Despite her grief, Jeanne has chosen to testify to encourage other parents to seek care quickly. “I ask all parents not to believe mis- and disinformation. As soon as a child is sick, you must go quickly to a health centre to receive appropriate care. I would not want another mother to live what I have lived,” she says.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of WHO Regional Office for Africa.