Ebola survivor in DR Congo uses his story to challenge fear of treatment

Dr Raymond Kasereka Kamwanga is using his experience of surviving Ebola to challenge mistrust of treatment during the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The doctor, who works at Katwa Hospital in the eastern city of Butembo, told the BBC that his mother and sisters cried when he said he needed to go to an Ebola treatment centre in July. His mother, Masika Ndungo, feared he would die there.

“Why are you choosing to die at the Ebola treatment centre?” she asked him.

Kamwanga had initially returned home after a consultation and tests, but became increasingly weak. On the fourth day, he began vomiting and had diarrhoea, prompting him to seek treatment.

After his recovery, his family kept their distance despite a certificate showing he was Ebola-free. He spent 21 days in another part of the family home. “Because of our fear, we didn’t get close to him any more,” his mother told the BBC.

Kamwanga now shares photographs from his illness and a draft of his unfinished book, *The Price of Saving Lives*, during community outreach. “As someone who has recovered, I am living proof that the disease exists, but also that it is possible to recover from it,” he told the BBC.

In September, he told Reuters he also wanted his book to encourage the government to strengthen and support Ebola treatment centres.

On 19 October, speaking on behalf of survivors, Kamwanga called for them to be involved in the response, local station Radio Elimu reported. He said their accounts could help counter rumours and stigma, encourage people to seek care early and rebuild trust.