How Traditional Healers Are Undermining Ebola Responses in Africa—and Why It’s Getting Worse

Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo — The latest Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo has claimed at least 12 lives since February, but health officials warn the real toll could be far higher. The problem isn’t just the virus itself—it’s the refusal of many infected patients to seek modern medical care, instead turning to traditional healers whose treatments have no effect on the deadly disease. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), up to 60% of Ebola victims in some regions delay treatment until it’s too late, a delay that experts say is directly linked to the deep-rooted distrust of Western medicine in parts of Africa.

This pattern isn’t new. During past outbreaks—including the devastating 2014–2016 West Africa epidemic—traditional healing practices complicated containment efforts, leading to higher transmission rates. But this time, the challenges are even greater. In Congo’s North Kivu and Ituri provinces, where armed groups and political instability have already hindered response teams, the preference for traditional remedies is prolonging the crisis. “People are dying because they believe they can be cured by herbs and rituals,” said Dr. Jean-Marie Okwo-Bele, a WHO epidemiologist, in a recent briefing. “By the time they arrive at treatment centers, the virus has already spread to their families.”

This article explains why traditional healers remain a critical obstacle in Ebola control, how distrust in healthcare systems fuels the problem, and what new strategies—including community engagement and cultural sensitivity—might finally turn the tide.

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Why Are So Many Ebola Patients Still Turning to Traditional Healers?

In Congo’s eastern provinces, where Ebola has resurfaced at least 14 times since 2018, traditional healers hold deep cultural authority. For many rural communities, these practitioners are the first point of contact for illness, offering familiar, accessible, and often free care. Unlike hospitals, which require travel, long waits, and sometimes fear of stigma, traditional healers work within villages and promise immediate—if unproven—solutions.

Dr. Mukwege, the Nobel Prize-winning gynecologist who treats survivors of sexual violence in Congo, has documented how Ebola patients often describe their symptoms to healers first. “They don’t see Ebola as a medical emergency,” he told reporters last month. “They see it as a spiritual or ancestral curse.” This belief is reinforced by healers who, in some cases, actively discourage patients from seeking hospital care, fearing it will worsen their condition or bring shame to the family.

Key factors driving this trend:

• Cultural stigma: Ebola carries a heavy social stigma in Congo, where survivors are often ostracized. Traditional healers, by contrast, operate within trusted community networks.
• Mistrust of governments: Past outbreaks have seen violent attacks on health workers, including the 2018–2020 epidemic where over 400 incidents were recorded. Many communities now view hospitals as dangerous.
• Lack of alternatives: In remote areas, treatment centers are hours away, and transportation costs can exceed a family’s weekly income.

Yet the consequences are deadly. A 2021 study in The Lancet found that patients who consulted traditional healers before seeking medical help were three times more likely to die than those who went directly to treatment centers. The delay allows the virus to replicate unchecked, increasing the risk of transmission to others.

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How Distrust in Healthcare Systems Is Making Ebola Worse

The preference for traditional healers isn’t just about culture—it’s a symptom of broader failures in how Ebola responses are structured. In Congo, decades of conflict, weak infrastructure, and inconsistent government support have eroded public trust in formal healthcare systems. When Ebola re-emerges, communities often see hospitals as part of the problem rather than the solution.

Take the case of Beni, North Kivu, where an Ebola outbreak in 2020 saw healers prescribe mixtures of herbs and animal fat to “cleanse” patients. By the time families realized these treatments weren’t working, the virus had already spread to entire households. “We lost 17 people in my village last year because no one believed the warnings,” said Mama Fatima, a market vendor interviewed by local reporters. “The healers told us Ebola was a lie from the government.”

Why the distrust persists:

• Historical betrayal: During the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, foreign aid workers were accused of complicity. In Congo, similar suspicions persist, with some communities viewing Ebola responses as tools of colonial-era control.
• Inconsistent messaging: Early in outbreaks, conflicting advice from different agencies—such as conflicting quarantine rules—has left communities confused and resentful.
• Economic exploitation: Some treatment centers have been accused of charging fees for free services, reinforcing the perception that hospitals are for the wealthy.

Experts say the solution lies in integrating traditional healers into response efforts rather than dismissing them. The WHO’s Ebola Community Engagement Strategy, launched in 2020, now includes training healers to recognize Ebola symptoms and refer patients to treatment centers. In Uganda during the 2019 outbreak, this approach reduced delays by 40% in some regions.

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What Happens When Traditional Healers Refuse to Cooperate?

Not all traditional healers oppose modern medicine—but some actively sabotage efforts to contain Ebola. In Ituri province, reports emerged last year of healers hiding infected patients to avoid detection by health workers. Others have been caught selling “Ebola cures” to desperate families, exploiting the panic for profit.

One incident in Butembo last summer saw a healer arrested after three of his patients died from Ebola. He had treated them with a mixture of crushed leaves and charcoal, claiming it would “ward off evil spirits.” When authorities traced the infections back to his clinic, the healer fled, leaving his patients to spread the virus in the community.

How this undermines responses:

• Delayed reporting: Families may hide symptoms for days to avoid shame or legal consequences if a healer is involved.
• False hope: Patients who believe they’re being treated may not take precautions, increasing transmission.
• Resource drain: Health workers spend time tracking down healers instead of treating patients.

In response, Congo’s health ministry has begun mandatory reporting laws for healers who fail to refer Ebola cases. But enforcement is difficult in areas controlled by armed groups, where even government officials risk retaliation. “We’re fighting two battles here,” said Dr. Nzola Floribert, a Congolese epidemiologist. “One against the virus, and one against the misinformation that keeps people from seeking help.”

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Could This Outbreak Have Been Prevented?

Ebola’s persistence in Congo is often framed as a failure of global response—but experts argue the crisis could have been averted if earlier outbreaks had been met with cultural sensitivity and community trust. The 2014–2016 West Africa epidemic, which killed over 11,000 people, saw similar challenges in Liberia and Sierra Leone, where traditional burial practices spread the virus. Yet Congo’s outbreaks have been far deadlier per capita, in part because of deeper distrust in authorities.

A timeline of missed opportunities:

Source: WHO Ebola Response Data, 2023

One bright spot came in Uganda’s 2019 outbreak, where a healer-led awareness campaign reduced transmission by 30%. The key was training healers as first responders—teaching them to recognize symptoms and direct patients to clinics without judgment. “We didn’t tell them to stop their practices,” said Dr. Yonas Tegegn, Uganda’s Ebola response coordinator. “We told them how to do their work and save lives.”

In Congo, similar efforts are underway—but progress is slow. The latest outbreak in Goma, near the Rwandan border, has seen only 15% of suspected cases referred to treatment centers, according to local health officials. The rest are being treated—or mistreated—by healers.

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What’s Being Done to Change the Situation?

International health agencies are now prioritizing community-led solutions over top-down interventions. The WHO’s new strategy includes:

• Healer training programs: Workshops where traditional practitioners learn to identify Ebola symptoms and refer patients without judgment.
• Mobile clinics: Deploying treatment units closer to villages to reduce travel barriers.
• Trust-building: Involving local leaders in decision-making to counter misinformation.
• Vaccine outreach: Partnering with healers to administer vaccines in communities where hospitals are avoided.

In South Sudan, where Ebola spread rapidly in 2022, a similar approach saw a 25% drop in transmission within three months. The difference? Instead of demonizing healers, responders collaborated with them, using their influence to promote safe burials and handwashing.

Yet challenges remain. In Congo, armed groups like the ADF militia have attacked health workers, making outreach dangerous. And with only 300,000 doses of the Ebola vaccine available for the current outbreak, supply shortages limit what can be done.

Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO’s Africa regional director, warned last week that “without trust, no amount of medicine will stop this virus.” The question now is whether Congo’s response teams can bridge the gap between traditional beliefs and modern science before the outbreak spirals further.

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What You Need to Know About Ebola and Traditional Healing

Q: Are traditional healers ever effective against Ebola?

A: No. Ebola is caused by a virus that requires medical treatment—antibiotics, intravenous fluids, and supportive care. Traditional remedies like herbs or rituals have no scientific basis for curing or preventing Ebola. However, some healers can play a role in early detection if properly trained.

Q: Why do some communities still believe traditional healers can cure Ebola?

A: Cultural beliefs often frame illness as spiritual or supernatural. In many African societies, healers are seen as intermediaries between the physical and spiritual worlds. When modern medicine fails to provide immediate relief—or when misinformation spreads—these beliefs can become entrenched.

Q: Has any country successfully integrated traditional healers into Ebola responses?

A: Yes. Uganda’s 2019 outbreak saw a 30% reduction in transmission after healers were trained to recognize symptoms and refer patients. The key was respecting their role rather than dismissing it.

Q: Are there any traditional practices that can help prevent Ebola?

A: Some cultural practices, like safe burial rituals (avoiding direct contact with the deceased) and handwashing with ash or local antiseptics, can reduce transmission. However, these must be combined with medical interventions to be effective.

Q: What should families do if someone shows Ebola symptoms?

A: Immediate isolation and contact with a certified health facility are critical. Symptoms include sudden fever, muscle pain, vomiting, and unexplained bleeding. If a traditional healer is consulted first, they should be urged to refer the patient to a clinic immediately.

Q: Is the Ebola vaccine safe for everyone?

A: The Ervebo vaccine, approved by the WHO, is highly effective and safe for most people. However, like all vaccines, it may not be suitable for those with severe allergies or weakened immune systems. Side effects are usually mild (e.g., headache, fatigue).

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As Congo’s latest Ebola cluster spreads, the battle isn’t just against the virus—it’s against decades of distrust. While healers will likely remain a fixture in African healthcare, their role must evolve from alternative treatment to partner in prevention. Without that shift, experts warn, outbreaks like this one will keep resurfacing—with deadly consequences.

For readers seeking deeper context, explore our guide to Ebola’s historical outbreaks or our analysis of how conflict affects disease response in Africa.