KINSHASA/GENEVA, 29 May 2026 — UNAIDS is supporting efforts to maintain uninterrupted HIV treatment and care services as the Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) continues to evolve, with cases reported in Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu provinces, prompting heightened surveillance and preparedness measures. 

National authorities, supported by Africa CDC, WHO and partners, are leading efforts to contain the outbreak, while neighboring countries are strengthening border surveillance, risk communication and response preparedness. 

Community partners are increasingly concerned about the impact of the Ebola outbreak on people living with HIV and the continuity of HIV services in affected areas. Reports from community organizations in eastern DRC indicate that fear of exposure to Ebola in health facilities and concerns around transmission are leading some people living with HIV to avoid community antiretroviral therapy (ART) distribution points and delay or miss clinic appointments. 

One worker who is part of the team distributing medicines at communities has described the working environment as extremely risky, with no personal protection measures in place. Angélique Machozi Lassi  from Point de Distribution Communautaire (PODI) said: “Things are tough for us. We have to continue providing medicines to the community, which puts us at risk because we don’t have personal protective equipment. We are not sufficiently protected. We need assistance,”. 

In the DRC, UNAIDS is participating in national coordination mechanisms and has contributed to the integration of HIV into the National Ebola Preparedness and Response Plan, launched on 21 May 2026. UNAIDS is also providing technical assistance to the National AIDS Control Program to develop an HIV Mitigation Plan aligned with the national response, including measures to protect people living with HIV and health professionals, ensure continuity of treatment, and strengthen surveillance and monitoring in the three provinces affected by Ebola. UNAIDS is contributing to resource mobilization efforts and plans to support data collection and monitoring tools for community-based surveillance in affected health zones. 

UNAIDS teams are also supporting preparedness and response efforts in neighbouring at-risk countries. In Uganda, UNAIDS is working with the Ministry of Health to conduct rapid assessments of essential services for HIV, in high-risk districts. In Angola and Burundi, UNAIDS is supporting preparedness in border areas by identifying priority actions to sustain HIV services and strengthening engagement with National AIDS Programmes, community partners and service delivery points in areas at risk of transmission. 

Across the region, UNAIDS is advocating for the inclusion of HIV community organizations in response efforts and for resources to reach community-level actors, strengthening outreach, risk communication and community-led monitoring to protect people living with HIV and other vulnerable populations. 

Experience from HIV and other health emergencies has shown that strong community engagement, trusted information and uninterrupted health services are essential to an effective outbreak response. UNAIDS will continue to monitor the situation alongside partners. 

There is an estimated number of 610 000 people living with HIV in the DRC.

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.