Explore every episode of the podcast Stopping Ebola: Inside the Response

In our second episode, we are looking at two emergencies unfolding at the same time in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo: the Ebola epidemic and the continuing violence affecting communities, mainly across Ituri and North Kivu. How does conflict affect the ability to detect cases, trace contacts and provide treatment? What happens to families when fear of Ebola is added to displacement, violence and the disruption of basic services? And what needs to change if the response is to reach communities living in the most difficult conditions? The conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has been dubbed a “forever war”, a perpetual cycle of war, civil unrest, and local feuds over power and identity. Senior Ebola Coordinator, Julien Harneis, speaks with Sandrine Lusamba and Jason Stearns. Sandrine is National Coordinator of SOFEPADI, and an advocate for women’s rights, civilian protection and women’s participation in peacebuilding. Jason is a political scientist, author and specialist on conflict and political violence in the DRC. He is an Associate Professor at Simon Fraser University, founder of the Congo Research Group and strategic adviser to Ebuteli. 

The responders working to contain the 2026 Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak are building on lessons drawn from previous responses to Ebola and other epidemics. The episode features three voices who have helped shape the global response to Ebola and created global public health alliances. Jean-Jacques Muyembe is a Congolese virologist, co-discoverer of Ebola, and Director General of the DRC’s National Biological Research Institute. Peter Piot is a co-discoverer of Ebola and a leading figure in global health, and Deborah Birx, physician, diplomat and global health leader who helped coordinate the international response to the 2014 West Africa epidemic. The guests discuss lessons learned, from the discovery of Ebola to today, and how they can be applied to the current response. They explain what worked, what failed, and which lessons remain most relevant to the ongoing operation to contain this outbreak.