From Fear to Trust: Alain Alithum’s Work in Mongbwalu

In the streets of Mongbwalu, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Ituri province, Alain Alithum’s work goes beyond community sensitization. A socio-anthropologist mobilized by the World Health Organization (WHO), he visits families affected by the Bundibugyo virus disease outbreak, listening to their concerns, answering questions and helping them make informed decisions about care.

“I intervene in the most difficult and strategic situations where no solution has yet been found. I do not carry out mass sensitization. But I am in the community every day,” Alithum says.

Between 26 August and 29 October 2026, he helped around 30 people seek care at the Ebola treatment centre, often in situations marked by refusal, flight or deep mistrust. His visits reached nearly 600 people across the families he met.

The outbreak’s case fatality rate in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is around 48%. Fear of the treatment centre is widespread: survivors are few, rumours are many, and some families hide patients rather than accept a transfer. For many, the ambulance has come to symbolize death. In this climate, patient listening can help rebuild trust.

Francine Mave, 39, lost her husband after he chose treatment from a traditional healer instead of going to the centre. Ten days later, Mave developed Ebola symptoms. “I hid because I was convinced that nobody comes out alive from the centre,” she recalls.

Alithum came to her home and spoke with her about the risks to her children and other relatives. Mave eventually agreed to go, on the condition that her neighbours would not see her boarding an ambulance. She walked to the centre, tested positive and recovered after eight days of treatment.

Today, she describes herself as an “ambassador of the centre” in her neighbourhood. “I owe my survival to Papa Alain. My return was celebrated by all the neighbours, who now believe that the centre is a place of treatment and not a place of death,” she says.

Born and raised in Mongbwalu, Alithum understands the community’s social realities. Before joining the response, he researched mining governance in a region where gold shapes both economic and social life. That work helped him build relationships with customary authorities, mining cooperatives and community leaders.

“As a son of the area, people do not accuse me of joining the Ebola response just to find work. On the contrary, they know me and trust me,” he says.

That local trust is especially valuable when families refuse safe and dignified burials or decontamination. Alithum identifies the people best placed to reopen dialogue, bringing together street chiefs, survivors and traditional healers to help address concerns.

Jules Villa, a medical anthropologist at the Institut Pasteur in Paris, was deployed to the Ebola response in the Democratic Republic of the Congo through the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN). He has seen Alithum at work and describes his contribution as remarkable.

“Alain knows how to mobilize his knowledge of the city to put his interlocutors at ease and talk about something other than the outbreak,” Villa says. “I admire his initiative and his ability to find solutions, even in the most tragic situations.”

For Alithum, every conversation carries great responsibility. His work reflects how social sciences can strengthen epidemic response: by understanding people’s experiences, fears and networks of influence, and using that knowledge to help save lives.

Gashamba Mugisha Muzungu, 36, fled with his sick son after losing his wife. Convinced that no one returned from the treatment centre, he refused repeated offers to transfer his son. Alithum continued visiting and brought survivors to share their experiences. Gashamba eventually agreed to evacuate the boy, but it was too late to save him.

A few days later, Gashamba became ill himself. Initially reluctant to seek care, he accepted treatment after another intervention by Alithum and survived.

“I lost my wife and my son, but I gained a brother,” he says. “Ebola will pass, but our friendship will remain.”

In Mongbwalu, survivors such as Gashamba have become powerful advocates for the response, showing neighbours that treatment can save lives. “The fight against Ebola is a collective mission. Survivors play an essential role in overcoming reluctance,” Alithum says.

For him, the greatest victory is seeing fear give way to hope in his community.