Malaria Threat Overtakes Ebola In DR Congo, Officials Warn

Health experts have warned that malaria and other preventable diseases could end up claiming more lives than the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), as fear of the virus keeps many people away from healthcare facilities and places additional strain on an already fragile health system.

Medical workers and public health officials say the Ebola outbreak has disrupted routine healthcare services in some of the country’s eastern provinces, where years of armed conflict, limited medical infrastructure and recurring disease outbreaks have left communities particularly vulnerable.

According to several local and international health officials who spoke to Reuters, efforts are underway to reduce deaths from both Ebola and malaria. However, they caution that longstanding weaknesses in the healthcare system, combined with growing public fear, are making disease control increasingly difficult.

Bill Steiger, Chief Executive Officer of the non-profit organisation Malaria No More, said experience from previous Ebola outbreaks suggests malaria could ultimately prove even deadlier than the virus itself.

He noted that in nearly every Ebola epidemic, more people have died from malaria than from Ebola because patients avoid seeking treatment for common illnesses out of fear of being isolated or infected at health centres.

The concern is particularly acute in the DRC, which remains one of the countries hardest hit by malaria worldwide. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the country recorded approximately 35 million malaria cases and 68,000 deaths in 2024, the second-highest burden globally after Nigeria.

The eastern provinces of Ituri and North Kivu, where the current Bundibugyo strain of Ebola is spreading most rapidly, are also among the country’s malaria hotspots.

Health experts say the malaria situation has been worsened by disruptions to prevention programmes. Planned distributions of insecticide-treated mosquito nets in both provinces were cancelled last year because of ongoing insecurity, leaving many households without adequate protection as older bed nets have deteriorated.

Susie Nasr, Head of Malaria at the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, said there are already indications that malaria cases may be increasing in Ebola-affected communities.

She explained that many healthcare workers are avoiding routine malaria testing because the procedures could expose them to bodily fluids from patients who may be infected with Ebola. Since both diseases often begin with similar symptoms—particularly fever—many suspected cases are now being treated as malaria without laboratory confirmation, complicating surveillance efforts.

Despite these challenges, health authorities have intensified measures to prevent a larger malaria crisis.

The Congolese government, working alongside the Global Fund and the Gates Foundation, has begun moving emergency supplies of antimalarial medicines into the affected regions. Officials are also considering launching mass drug administration campaigns, which would involve health teams going door-to-door to distribute malaria medication in communities at highest risk.

Frontline health workers, however, remain deeply concerned that many infections are going undetected because frightened residents are delaying or avoiding treatment altogether.

Dr. Aimé Mbonda, Emergency Health Coordinator for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in Bunia, estimated that nearly half of people experiencing symptoms may choose not to visit health centres after witnessing neighbours admitted with fever who never returned home.

He warned that delays in seeking medical attention are resulting in patients arriving with more severe illnesses, contributing to preventable deaths and making emergency response efforts even more difficult.

Health agencies are also grappling with major funding challenges. While the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that $1.4 billion is required to mount an effective Ebola response, only about $120 million has been mobilised so far.

Steiger said global health organisations understand that malaria poses a serious long-term threat during the Ebola outbreak, but questioned whether the international response is moving quickly enough to prevent another public health crisis.

As the Ebola outbreak continues, health officials warn that containing the virus alone will not be enough. Without sustained investment in routine healthcare services, malaria prevention and community outreach, they fear preventable diseases could exact an even heavier toll on communities already struggling with conflict and fragile healthcare systems.