DR Congo: For 50 years, women have been over represented in Ebola deaths – UN Women fears the current outbreak will follow the same pattern

Countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda Source: UN Women And, we will certainly see the same pattern emerge in the current outbreak in the DRC and Uganda, which comes as the DRC is already dealing with a severe humanitarian crisis and immense pressure on health services. Why? Because Ebola transmission follows social realities. The virus spreads along the lines of caregiving, domestic labour, front-line health work, and burial practices. Because when people are sick, women look after them. Women are the mothers, aunts, and sisters caring for children. They are the daughters caring for their elders. They are nurses and cleaners in hospital wards, and birth attendants helping women deliver their babies. Women are also the ones who care for loved ones in death, preparing their bodies for burial. These responsibilities exist in the division of labour inside homes and communities, and they put women in close physical contact during the infectious stages of the disease. Pregnant women face additional risks because they have more frequent contact with health services. Historical reports suggest that, when women contract Ebola during pregnancy, there is increased mortality and morbidity, and a near 100-per-cent rate of adverse pregnancy outcomes. We also know from previous health emergencies that, when communities go into quarantine, women and girls face greater risks of gender-based violence. At a time when humanitarian funding cuts are weakening front-line health and protection systems, UN Women calls for sustained and flexible funding for women-led organizations so they can continue their lifesaving work in protecting communities, countering misinformation, and supporting safe care practices. We also call for increased financial support to primary health care programmes that meet the needs...

Original source: Relief Web