Africa-Press. The Democratic Republic of the Congo has reopened Bunia Airport in Ituri Province, the current epicenter of the Ebola outbreak, after previously suspending passenger flights due to the escalating health crisis.
The decision was made to avoid isolating the region and to ensure the continued arrival of supplies, assistance, and medical teams. Authorities stated that the reopening of the airport will occur gradually and safely, with strict health measures in place.
This decision comes amid concerns that closing the airport would cut off supply lines to a population already suffering from conflict and weak health infrastructure.
Ituri Province is the current outbreak’s focal point, linked to the “Bundi Bugyo” strain of the Ebola virus. To date, the Congo has recorded 321 confirmed cases and 48 deaths, with the outbreak extending to 15 out of 36 health zones in Ituri, as well as North and South Kivu, affecting neighboring Uganda.
The reopening of the airport holds economic and humanitarian significance, as Bunia relies on air transport for part of its supplies, especially given the difficulties of land movement in eastern Congo due to security issues. Furthermore, closing the airport would have increased the cost of goods, disrupted the arrival of medical equipment, and complicated the work of humanitarian organizations.
Despite the reopening of the airport, the response still faces significant challenges, including a lack of community trust, attacks on health facilities, and supply shortages. Humanitarian workers have warned that the actual spread of the virus may be wider than official figures if access to some areas remains difficult.
