Bunia, August 16th, 2026 (CPA).- The permanent protection of sites and teams is one of the main pillars of the action plan envisaged to ensure the safety of the Ebola response at PK51 in the Nia-Nia health zone, in Ituri province, in the north-east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, it is learnt on Sunday from an administrative source.
“The action plan will be based on several key areas: firstly, the on-going security of sites and teams; secondly, securing the main checkpoints on the borders with neighbouring provinces; thirdly, strengthening collaboration between health services, security services, local authorities and the community,” has explained Dr Theophile Ponde, provincial coordinator of the National Border Health Programme (PNHF/Ituri). Returning from a mission to this health district, he has explained that the plan also provides for the identification of strategic checkpoints requiring a permanent security presence, as well as enhanced monitoring of the situation.
“We must also identify the strategic checkpoints that require a security presence and service providers operating 24 hours a day, set up an early warning system in the event of an incident, and ensure regular monitoring of the situation,” he has said. For Dr Ponde, this approach should make it possible to anticipate incidents, protect teams and ensure the continuity of response operations in the PK51 mining area. ACP/