On the frontlines of infection prevention for Ebola control

Mongbwalu, Democratic Republic of the Congo-In the stifling heat of Mongbwalu General Reference Hospital in Ituri Province, the epicentre of the ongoing Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, the clatter of disinfection buckets echoes through the corridors. The scent of chlorine lingers in the air as health workers dash from ward to ward.

Amid the bustle, Nadège Esangowale Yangala walks with quiet determination. An Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) specialist, she is on the frontlines of the Ebola response, working as a consultant with the World Health Organization (WHO).

"When I leave a health facility knowing the staff are better protected and able to work safely, I know our collective efforts are saving lives," says Yangala, who has worked in public health for 13 years.

Since the outbreak was declared in mid-May 2026, Yangala has been part of the frontline response, helping health facilities strengthen infection prevention and control. Her mission is vital: protect health workers and patients while reinforcing community trust.

"IPC and WASH are the first line of defence against Ebola," she says. "Without strict measures, hospitals can become places where the virus spreads."

When Ebola strikes, health facilities become high-risk environments. Every consultation, every patient and every procedure carries potential exposure. Proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE), strict hand hygiene and rigorous patient triage are essential. Yangala works to ensure these practices become routine because they are key to preventing transmission and stopping the virus from spreading.

Every day, she assesses infection prevention measures and works with health teams to strengthen them. She helps ensure clear separation between clean and contaminated areas, improve hand hygiene and triage stations at facility entrances, and ensure patients move safely through designated care pathways.

She recalls a visit to Mongbwalu General Reference Hospital where she found the triage desk located inside a crowded waiting room. Within 48 hours, working with the local team and partners including WHO, Médecins Sans Frontières, Action Against Hunger and UNICEF, the space was completely reorganized. Mandatory triage was moved to the entrance, foot-operated handwashing stations were installed and a temporary isolation area was created.

Days later, a person suspected of having Ebola was identified and safely isolated on arrival, preventing exposure to other patients and unprotected staff.

But Yangala's work extends far beyond infrastructure. Much of her time is devoted to training and mentoring health workers in early detection, immediate isolation, the safe donning and removal of protective equipment, medical waste management and decontamination.

She does more than teach. She observes, corrects and encourages. "Every training session and every protocol properly applied is one less chain of transmission," she says.

With WHO's support, Yangala leads practical field training, distributes IPC supplies, helps improve access to safe water and strengthens the safe management of medical waste.

In just two months, 13 health facilities in Mongbwalu Health Zone were brought up to IPC standards, while around 430 personnel-including healthcare workers, traditional healers, IPC-WASH supervisors, decontamination teams and safe burial teams-received training and on-site mentorship.

Challenges remain significant. Interruptions in the supply of water, soap, chlorine and protective equipment, staff fatigue and resistance to change continue to test the response. Yet Yangala remains convinced that every action matters.

Over the months, she has witnessed a remarkable shift. Hand hygiene and equipment disinfection have become routine. Patient flows are now clearly organized in almost all supported facilities. Health workers increasingly see IPC not as an added burden, but as essential protection for themselves and their families.

She remembers one nurse who initially dismissed the new practices as too demanding. A few weeks later, she watched him train his colleagues with discipline and conviction. "These simple actions save lives," he would tell them.

For Yangala, that transformation is as much a human victory as it is a professional one. The impact of her work-and that of her colleagues-is reflected in the renewed confidence of health workers, the solidarity among teams and the reassurance of people seeking care.

Behind every handwashing station installed, every training delivered and every supervisory visit lies a single purpose: making health facilities safer and saving lives.

Yangala's work demonstrates the vital role of infection prevention and control in the Ebola response. She helps ensure that health workers can provide care safely, patients can seek treatment with confidence, and communities continue to trust their health facilities.