As Ebola spreads in eastern Congo, mothers and children shun vital care

Women and children forgo healthcare over Ebola fears Maternal deaths up 70% in outbreak-hit Ituri province Falling vaccination rates expose children to illnesses Congo experiencing its worst Ebola outbreak on record By Gradel Muyisa Mumbere and Clement Bonnerot BUTEMBO, Democratic Republic of Congo, Oct 14 (Reuters) — T he fear of Ebola is keeping women and children from seeking healthcare in eastern Congo, health workers and aid agencies say, contributing to soaring maternal deaths and falling childhood immunization rates that could strain the healthcare system for years to come. Health workers say that misplaced anxiety about contact with Ebola is the primary reason women are forgoing crucial prenatal care and opting to give birth at home, and dying more often in the event of complications. There is still limited data available but figures for Ituri province are raising alarm. UN figures show that maternal deaths in Ituri province soared nearly 70% between May and July compared with a year earlier, a troubling indicator of the impact of the Ebola outbreak — currently Congo's worst on record — on the primary healthcare system. Steep international aid cuts have also led to shortage