DR Congo opens Ebola nurseries to protect children separated from infected parents

As the Democratic Republic of the Congo battles a worsening Ebola outbreak, authorities have established special nurseries to care for children whose parents are receiving treatment. The centres provide shelter, daily care and psychological support while helping reduce the risk of infection.

Health authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have opened nurseries alongside Ebola treatment centres to care for children whose parents have tested positive for the virus.

The facilities ensure that children are safely looked after while infected parents receive treatment, particularly in cases where no other family member is available to care for them.

"If the mother has a child and there is no one to look after the child, we separate them, and the child is cared for here while the mother is at the treatment centre," said Celine Lusinde, head of the child protection office in Ituri Province.

Psychological support at the heart of care

Beyond meeting children's basic needs, the nurseries provide specialised mental health services to help young people cope with the trauma of separation and illness.

Lusinde said psychologists are permanently assigned to support children experiencing emotional distress, citing the case of three siblings, including a 16-year-old girl, who were receiving care at one of the facilities.

Outbreak continues to grow

According to the Congolese government, the country had recorded 1,406 confirmed Ebola cases, including 438 deaths, as of June 30.

The outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the virus, has prompted an intensified national and international response as health workers seek to contain its spread.

Children face risks beyond Ebola

The United Nations Children's Fund says the effects of the epidemic extend well beyond those infected with the virus.

John James, UNICEF's communications coordinator for the Ebola response, warned that disruptions to healthcare, education and family life can have lasting consequences for children, particularly those under the age of five.

He noted that young children remain especially vulnerable to diseases such as malaria and diarrhoea, which share symptoms with Ebola and could become more dangerous if routine health services are disrupted.

Call for a child-centred response

As the outbreak continues, humanitarian agencies are urging authorities to ensure that children's needs remain central to the response.

By combining infection prevention with childcare, psychosocial support and access to essential services, the nurseries aim to protect some of the epidemic's youngest and most vulnerable victims while their families battle the disease.