Kinshasa, October 6th, 2026 (CPA). – More than 1,900 children have lost one or both parents, or have been separated from their carers, as a result of the Ebola outbreak in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) since the outbreak was declared in May, according to a UNICEF press release published and consulted on Tuesday. “More than 1,900 children have lost one or both parents or guardians due to Ebola in DRC, or have been separated from them since the outbreak was declared in May,” it is read. According to the UN agency, of these children, 1,581 have been recorded in Ituri and a further 322 in Nord-Kivu as of September 28th. The true figures are likely to be higher, as they only reflect areas where UNICEF is working with the Provincial Division of Social Affairs (DIVAS). Quoting Lucia Elmi, UNICEF’s Director of Emergency Operations, following a visit to Bunia, the epicentre of the outbreak, the press release states that “For children, Ebola can trigger a chain reaction with serious consequences. A parent falls ill and the child is at risk of exposure. That parent is then hospitalised or dies, leaving the child without the person on whom they depend, whilst fear of infection and stigma deter relatives and neighbours from stepping in”. As the outbreak continues in Ituri and Nord-Kivu, UNICEF has called for urgent funding to protect children left without care.
Children are disproportionately affected by the outbreak
Furthermore, the source has revealed that 214 children living and working on the streets in Bunia have been identified as needing protection. Without a guardian, these children are at risk of infection as they are less likely to be identified through contact tracing or to receive care if they fall ill, and they are more vulnerable to exploitation and violence. “Children are also disproportionately affected by the outbreak. As of September 29th, at least 2,076 children had been tested positive for Ebola and at least 1,162 had died from it, according to a UNICEF analysis of Ministry in charge of Health data including patients’ ages,” the document has added. UNICEF is currently supporting 12 childcare centres set up near Ebola treatment centres in Ituri, Nord-Kivu and Sud-Kivu. These facilities cater in particular for children who have been exposed to the virus, are unaccompanied, or whose parents are undergoing treatment. The organisation is calling, in particular, for a nursery to be established at every Ebola treatment centre, for paediatric care to be strengthened, and for more social workers to be deployed to the worst-affected areas. It is seeking $113.4 million for its Ebola response in DRC, of which $40.1 million had been raised as of October 6th. CPA/