Nature features an interview with Dr Richard Kojan in its Spotlight series on infectious diseases. An anaesthetist and intensive-care specialist trained at the University of Kinshasa, he joined ALIMA in 2010 and works on the frontlines of the Ebola response in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
The journal sets out the context: the outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo virus, was declared on 15 May 2026. By 23 September, the DRC had recorded 7,890 cases and around 3,799 deaths. There is still no licensed vaccine or treatment for this virus.
Dr Kojan explains why Ebola outbreaks are often detected late: early symptoms such as fatigue resemble those of many tropical diseases, including malaria. He also describes caring for severely ill patients in the red zone, where every intervention requires full protective equipment.
“Ebola is not a health-care worker’s first thought when someone presents with symptoms.” (Dr Richard Kojan, intensive-care physician, ALIMA)
“The PPE makes you sweat so much that it’s hard to stay inside the red zone for more than 30 minutes.” (Dr Richard Kojan, intensive-care physician, ALIMA)
In the rest of the interview, he presents the CUBE and its role in patient care. Read the full article bellow:
