Ituri Ebola outbreak drives nearly 70% rise in maternal deaths
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a major Ebola outbreak has led to a nearly 70% spike in maternal deaths in Ituri province.
Many women are now giving birth at home instead of going to hospitals, worried about catching the virus.
This shift is putting more lives at risk and showing just how much the outbreak is affecting everyday health care.
Ebola cuts DRC hospital births, vaccinations
With Ebola spreading across seven provinces and affecting more than 8,000 people, basic health services are struggling.
Hospital births have dropped by more than 30%, and treatment for pregnancy complications is down by one-half between May and July since the outbreak began.
Vaccinations have also plummeted (UNICEF reports first-dose measles vaccinations in Mongbwalu are down 69% in some areas), leaving even more people vulnerable.