A new Ebola treatment centre has opened in the city of Beni in North Kivu, expanding the Democratic Republic of Congo’s capacity to respond to one of the world’s deadliest viral outbreaks.

The facility, built within Beni General Hospital, is the second standardized Ebola Treatment Centre in the province and is designed to relieve pressure on overstretched local hospitals. With 20 beds and dedicated isolation wards, it will allow suspected and confirmed cases to be treated in a controlled environment, reducing the risk of transmission within the community and among health workers.

Provincial health authorities describe the centre as a cornerstone of a broader strategy to bring care closer to affected communities. North Kivu’s Provincial Minister of Health, Prisca Luanda Kamala, said the new unit complements the existing centre in Katwa and is part of a network of treatment and transit centres planned across the province to ensure rapid referral and specialized care.

The opening coincides with a rare moment of hope in Beni: the city has recorded its first officially certified Ebola survivor. The patient, identified as Kavira Mukelu Charline, was discharged from the treatment unit after testing negative and completing follow-up care. Her recovery is being held up by doctors as proof that early diagnosis and prompt treatment can dramatically improve survival chances.

Medical staff say they hope Charline will become a powerful voice in community outreach, helping to counter fear, denial and misinformation that have hampered the response. Health workers are urging residents to report symptoms quickly, stressing that Ebola is not inevitably fatal when patients receive timely, appropriate care.

Local health officials also emphasize the government’s responsibility to protect citizens by investing in specialized infrastructure, training and community engagement. The new centre in Beni is staffed by Congolese clinicians supported by international partners, equipped for intensive supportive care, infection prevention and safe burials when needed.

Across three affected provinces, authorities have reported more than 1,500 confirmed Ebola cases, with hundreds of deaths and hundreds of survivors. While over 250 patients have recovered, more than 600 remain in isolation or under hospital care, underscoring the scale of the challenge and the urgent need for additional treatment capacity like the new Beni facility.