The newly appointed UN Ebola response chief in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has promised to listen more to the fears and concerns of local people in a bid to end “frequent interruptions” hampering the fight against the deadly virus. 

Response Coordinator David Gressly, who is also deputy head of UN Stabilization Mission in the DRC, MONUSCO, told UN News that violence by numerous armed groups, protests and demonstrations, together with political mistrust, had adversely affected the Government and World Health Organization-led response. 

More than 1,280 have died in the country’s worst-ever outbreak, and Mr. Gressly is heading to the epicentre, Butembo, to work closely with partners and local leaders to finally contain the outbreak.  

He spoke to UN News’s Cristina Silveiro.