BUNIA — Arlette Basekawike, a volunteer for the United Nations food agency, spends most of her time in a small shed outside the Evangelical Medical Center in Bunia, Congo, preparing meals for Ebola patients and health workers. The Bundibugyo virus, a species of Ebola, was confirmed in eastern Congo in May 2026, and the World Health Organization has since declared the outbreak a global health emergency.
Basekawike prepares porridge, omelets, and bread for breakfast for patients, while lunch and dinner may include fresh fish with fufu—a starchy staple made of mashed plantains—and fruit. “Even though the patients have this disease, they still feel better when they eat, and the doctors have the energy to treat the sick and give them medication.” Arlette Basekawike said Monday as she prepared vegetables and potatoes with goat meat in a large cooking pot. “I’m here for them like a parent, preparing food so they feel comfortable.”
The outbreak has rapidly expanded, spreading from three health zones at its onset to 22 as of the weekend of May 28–31, 2026, according to Congo’s Ministry of Health. As of Tuesday, June 2, 2026, 1,321 cases of Ebola and 48 deaths had been confirmed in Congo’s eastern provinces of Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu. Uganda has confirmed nine cases and one death, prompting it to close its border with Congo.
Efforts to contain the virus have been hampered by lack of funding as global partners withdrew or reduced pledges, and attacks by suspicious residents on health workers have further complicated response efforts. Before the Ebola outbreak, the region already faced one of the world’s most severe food crises due to ongoing conflict that displaced millions.
“We are in a region where we already have large segments of the population suffering from acute food insecurity linked to either war or displacement,” said Olivier Nkakudulu, who heads the World Food Program in Ituri province. “So there are already needs and Ebola is an additional crisis on top of a crisis.” He added that without more funding, the program might not be able to prioritize every suspected case or provide food to all in need.
Nurse and volunteer Esther Bao said on Sunday that rising patient numbers required increased meal production. “Today we need to increase the amount because the number of patients has gone up. There are also patients who, because of their health situation, don’t eat just any meal.”