Women ‘are forced to have sex in return for Ebola jabs’ in the Democratic Republic of the Congo as death toll from latest outbreak passes 500
Article via DailyMail
- Latest Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of the Congo has killed over 500
- Officials said a vaccination programme has prevented thousands more deaths
- There are claims that some individuals have been demanding sexual favours in return for treatment for the deadly disease
Women are being forced to have sex in return for Ebola vaccinations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, it has been claimed.
Fears of exploitation by frontline workers in the fight against the deadly disease were also highlighted as the death toll from the latest outbreak in the country passed 500.
The claims surfaced just days after the DRC’s health minister said a vaccination programme has prevented thousands more deaths.
According to The Guardian, studies have revealed concerns by ‘multiple respondents’ that some people are asking for sexual favours in return for Ebola treatments – including vaccinations.
The matter was raised as officials gathered for a national taskforce meeting in the city of Beni.
They were told how research by NGOs had found there was widespread mistrust in health workers in DRC.
On Saturday, officials revealed that more than 500 people had died from the latest outbreak of Ebola in the country, but a vaccination programme had prevented thousands more deaths.
‘In total, there have been 502 deaths and 271 people cured,’ said a health ministry bulletin, reporting on the outbreak in the east of the country.
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