WVU's Tamba M'bayo can offer expert comment on the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Since the start of the Ebola outbreak in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo in August last year, at least 1,223 people have died out of 1,847 confirmed cases. Of those who died, 30 percent were children, according to the World Health Organization. West Virginia University expert Tamba M’bayo believes political unrest is the cause of the disease’s deadly spread.
Quotes and comments
Tamba M’bayo audio file: The current outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo
“The situation has not been helped by unstable political climate in the country. For decades, inter communal violence has affected the eastern DRC, the epicenter of the Ebola outbreak. Because of the insecurity, each time there is an attack on the medical personnel, the response to the Ebola outbreak is put on hold. In addition to violent attacks, medical workers’ efforts to contain the spread of the disease have been hampered by widespread community distrust of health agencies and institutions.”— Tamba M’bayo, associate professor of history
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pp/05/24/19
CONTACT: Tamba M’bayo
Associate Professor of History
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
tamba.mbayo@mail.wvu.edu; 616.848.9686
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