Ebola: Private clinics on front line as patients shun public hospitals

In Bunia, the epicenter of the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the city’s private clinics are playing a major role in receiving and referring patients, as the population is reluctant to go to public hospitals for fear of contracting the virus.

As part of the effort to combat the virus, the administrative authorities in Bunia have asked private clinics to refer suspected Ebola cases to the general hospital, where the Ebola treatment center is located, but some patients are reluctant to transfer.

"There are some patients who sometimes refuse to go to the general hospital where the ETC (Ebola Treatment Center) is located for a consultation because they don’t want to go there," Dr. Sila Jakwonga, the Medical Director of the Citadelle Clinic, a private hospital, told The Associated Press.

Attacks on health workers from angry residents, skepticism among some locals and armed conflict in hot spots continue to challenge efforts to stop the Ebola outbreak declared on May 15, caused by a severe form of the disease.

The limited resources of private health centers is also putting healthcare workers at risk of contracting Ebola.

"We have not yet received any grants or support from the various partners involved in the fight against Ebola. At the moment, we are relying solely on our own resources," Dr. Jean Marc Shimbi, director of the Marie Claire Vandekerckhove Clinic, said.