Ebola treatment centres are often shrouded in fear and misunderstanding. We asked a doctor who recently worked in the Democratic Republic of the Congo what life inside them is really like. Just a decade ago Ebola was seen as a disease without a cure. Today, getting to a treatment centre early could make the difference between life and death.
To find out what happens inside these centres, VaccinesWork spoke to Dr Gabriel Muhehe Tshiwisa, a medical doctor and head of the emergency department at the Alliance for International Medical Action (ALIMA), a European Union partner, which provides healthcare to populations facing health crises, epidemics or natural disasters. He recently returned from Bunia, in the DR Congo, where he spent almost 2 months supporting the Ebola outbreak response there.
Find out what happens inside these centres:
1. Imagine I arrive at an Ebola treatment centre because doctors suspect I might have the virus. What happens to me during the first hours and days?
The first priority is to assess your condition and stabilise you. On arrival, the reception team will first check whether the symptoms are compatible with Ebola and will admit you to the Ebola treatment centre (ETC) where they will assess:
- symptoms
- vital signs
- hydration status
- any emergency medical needs
Because Ebola can resemble many other diseases, such as malaria or typhoid, a blood sample will be taken to test for the virus.
While waiting for the result, you will stay in a dedicated area for suspected cases, separated from patients with confirmed ebolavirus disease to reduce the risk of transmission. The medical team will begin treatment immediately based on your symptoms – you do not have to wait for the test result before receiving care.
Patients receive:
- fluids to prevent dehydration
- medicines to reduce fever, pain and nausea
- treatment for diarrhoea and oxygen
- other supportive measures if needed
We also test and treat for other diseases that are common in the area, such as malaria. Teams of psychologists are on site at the ETC to provide psychosocial support, because Ebola causes panic for families and especially for the patient, who is afraid of dying.
If Ebola is confirmed, treatment becomes more targeted.
Bundibugyo ebolavirus
For the Bundibugyo ebolavirus, there is no specific antiviral treatment. Management therefore relies on symptomatic treatment combined with rigorous monitoring to detect complications and treat them in a timely manner, paying close attention to:
- hydration
- electrolyte balance
- kidney function
- any complications that may develop
2. Many people assume there’s little doctors can do for someone with Ebola. What does supportive care involve, and what symptoms are patients usually struggling with when they arrive?
Over the past decade, Ebola care has changed dramatically. Treatment centres now provide much more advanced medical care than during earlier outbreaks and approved antiviral therapies are available for some ebolavirus species. Combined with earlier diagnosis and better supportive care, survival has improved substantially compared with previous outbreaks.
While outcomes still depend on many factors, Ebola is no longer considered untreatable.
Supportive care is much more than keeping patients comfortable: care has been optimised through an integrated approach to save patients’ lives. It means:
- replacing the large amounts of fluids patients lose
- correcting electrolyte imbalances
- maintaining blood pressure and oxygen levels
- managing pain and fever, treating secondary infections
- providing nutritional support
- closely monitoring for complications so they can be addressed quickly.
Many patients arrive with:
- a high fever
- severe fatigue and profound weakness
- muscle and joint pain
- severe body aches
- headache
- abdominal pain
- vomiting and diarrhoea
They are often dehydrated and suffering from electrolyte imbalance.
As the disease progresses, around 30–50% of patients develop:
- bleeding complications, such as tiny spots under the skin
- bleeding from injection or puncture sites
- bruising and bleeding into the gastrointestinal tract
In later stages, patients may become confused, experience seizures and develop multi-organ failure.
3. Why is it so important for people with suspected Ebola to seek treatment early, and can you share a patient story that illustrates what early treatment can achieve?
Most recorded Ebola deaths have involved patients who arrived late, after complications had developed. Patients often lose large volumes of fluid very quickly; replacing them before severe dehydration and organ damage develop gives the body a much better chance of fighting the infection.
Coming early also allows patients to receive Ebola-specific treatments sooner, when appropriate, which can improve their chances of recovery.
Just as importantly, seeking treatment early helps to prevent the virus from spreading to others. Before reaching a treatment centre, patients are often cared for at home or visit several health facilities while seeking care, which can expose family members, caregivers, other patients and healthcare workers to the infection.
A patient's story of survival
On June 10 2026, a 36-year-old man was admitted to the Rwampara Ebola treatment centre in Bunia with acute breathing difficulties.
His symptoms included:
- a fever
- dry cough
- chest pain
- fatigue
Tests confirmed infection with the Bundibugyo ebolavirus. The patient also developed severe malaria.
He was treated with:
- oxygen
- intravenous antibiotics
- other treatments to address his symptoms
Although these worsened during his hospitalisation, early treatment led to a gradual improvement in his condition. After negative PCR tests, he was declared cured on 30 June 2026.
4. Some people fear that if they enter an Ebola treatment centre they'll never see or speak to their loved ones again. Why is isolation necessary, and what is a typical day like for a patient?
Isolation protects everyone. Ebola spreads through direct contact with the bodily fluids of someone who is ill, so separating infected patients is essential to prevent further transmission. Modern treatment centres are also designed to make isolation as humane as possible. Many use transparent plexiglass walls or large viewing panels between patient areas and staff workstations. This allows healthcare workers to continuously observe patients, communicate with them and respond quickly if someone needs help, while reducing unnecessary entry into high-risk areas.
Whenever possible, treatment centres help patients communicate with their families through mobile phones, video calls, or supervised visits from safe observation areas.
Seeing healthcare workers dressed in full protective equipment (PPE) can seem intimidating at first. But the treatment centre design implemented by ALIMA in Rwampara, for example, allows constant interaction between patients and healthcare workers through transparent plexiglass. Patients also receive:
- regular medical assessments and medications
- meals and fluids
- encouragement throughout the day.
Healthcare teams make a conscious effort to talk with patients, to explain every procedure, provide reassurance and offer psychological support. Patients are not simply isolated – they are actively cared for by teams committed to helping them recover.
5. What are the first signs a patient is starting to recover, and what would you say to someone who develops symptoms that could be Ebola but is frightened to seek medical care?
The first encouraging signs are usually:
- that the fever settles
- vomiting and diarrhoea decrease
- appetite returns
- the patient begins to regain strength and energy
To declare a patient cured: 2 consecutive negative Ebola PCR tests are required, but Ebola survivors must continue to be medically monitored for a period.
Before discharge, they receive:
- counselling about ongoing recovery
- follow-up care
- information on any precautions they should take after leaving the treatment centre
I understand that fear. However, effective treatments are increasingly available, so it is possible to recover from Ebola. It is not a death sentence. Seeking care early gives you the best chance of recovery and helps protect the people you love. Today’s Ebola treatment centres offer much more than isolation. They provide rapid diagnosis, intensive medical care, treatments that were not available during earlier outbreaks and compassionate support throughout the illness.
I would also say this: not every person with fever or Ebola-like symptoms actually has Ebola. Many illnesses, such as malaria or typhoid, can cause similar symptoms.
Coming to a treatment centre means you'll receive a rapid diagnosis and the right treatment, whatever the cause of your illness.
Our goal is simple: to care for every patient with dignity, compassion and the best medical treatment available.
Through the glass partition of the treatment room at an Ebola treatment centre run by EU partner ALIMA, a woman is reunited with her brother. © ALIMA (photographer: Elie Bigaba)
A doctor visits a patient at the Rwampara Ebola treatment centre in the epicentre of the outbreak. © ALIMA (photographer: Elie Bigaba)
Leaving the disinfection zone at the Ebola treatment Centre, a woman expresses her immense joy and bids a final 'goodbye' to Ebola virus disease. © ALIMA (photographer: Elie Bigaba)
