Village chief fights Ebola stigma as family loses four members

Alphonse bin Kitobi Achou Taibo faces a dual challenge in his village of Bapakombe-Bakondo, on the outskirts of Beni in North Kivu province. As the local chief, he must lead his community through the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak in the region, while simultaneously managing the loss of four of his own relatives to the disease. His extended family lost four members, while eleven others contracted the virus and survived after he intervened to get them to medical care.

The conflict between traditional beliefs and medical urgency is central to the struggle in this area. Achou Taibo said that when his relatives first showed symptoms, they accused him of taking them to the hospital to die. He noted that many in the community compare Ebola to poison, and some local pastors associate the illness with evil spirits. This deep-seated prejudice makes it difficult for health teams to persuade residents to report symptoms or accept treatment.

Data from Congo’s Ministry of Health shows that the outbreak, which began in May, has surpassed 10,000 confirmed cases and resulted in more than 4,800 deaths. The strain responsible is the rare Bundibugyo virus, for which no approved vaccine or treatment currently exists. Response teams operate in a region plagued by armed conflict, poor infrastructure, and resident hostility driven by misinformation.

In August, one of Achou Taibo’s cousins died, and a local traditional medicine clinic blamed poisoning for the death. A second cousin, Zawadi Kavira Musubao, fell ill during the funeral, and the clinic again cited poisoning. A healer prepared a potion intended to expel the poison, but it worsened her condition before she eventually recovered. Following her cousin’s death, an uncle also died, with the clinic claiming they arrived too late for help.

The disease has spread beyond Congo to four other African countries, including Uganda, Kenya, and Nigeria. Dr. Jean Kaseya, the Director-General of Africa CDC, told health ministers in a virtual summit on Wednesday that the continent is not winning the fight against Ebola. He wrote on X that the agreement was to prepare every country, coordinate across borders, and keep borders open while monitoring them closely.

Violence has intensified in areas where the virus is spreading. Young people in Achou Taibo’s neighborhood set fire to homes, accusing residents of witchcraft. He described the mentality of fear as dominant. Mistrust of the government, fueled by allegations of corruption and mismanagement in previous outbreaks, has further undermined confidence in health authorities. Front-line workers have protested over unpaid wages and dangerous working conditions.

On Saturday, a nurse was killed and another health worker was injured while responding to an Ebola alert in Bafwasende, in Tshopo province. Mohamed Yakub Janabi, the World Health Organization’s regional director for Africa, condemned the attack, stating that misinformation and fear must never fuel violence.

Government data from early October indicated that more than 70% of new cases were outside known contact lists. Additionally, at least 60% of deaths occurred outside of treatment centers. For survivors, the stigma often follows them home. Musubao, who lost a sister to Ebola, was forced out of her home by her landlord after health workers disinfected the property, who claimed the operation brought evil spirits inside. She now lives with another sister and plans to sell tomatoes and small fish to support herself.

Achou Taibo continues to organize testing and admission for anyone showing symptoms. He also provides food and money to those in need. He frequently addresses large, often hostile groups to explain the disease. He told reporters that he must speak fearlessly to tell people the truth.