Women and girls pay high price in DRC Ebola outbreak

The deadly Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has taken a disproportionate toll on women and girls, many of whom are on the front lines caring for patients as well as their own families despite the high risk of infection. This is evident in the city of Bunia, the epicentre of the crisis, said Dr Setcheme Mongbo, UN Women Representative in the DRC, speaking on Friday following a recent visit to the city. "Women are not only present in health facilities as attendants, but also in communities and homes where they care for the sick, provide them with food and water, and even participate in washing corpses as well as funeral activities," she said, speaking from Kinshasa to journalists in Geneva. According to Dr Mongbo, the division of care and responsibilities at home largely reflects the Ebola transmission chain.