Christian aid organisations are mobilising emergency health responses in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) following a deadly Ebola outbreak in the country’s north-east that has prompted international concern.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern on May 15 after cases linked to the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola were detected in Ituri province.
According to WHO, there is not yet any authorised vaccine or treatment for the strain involved in the outbreak.
Tearfund said its teams in the DRC have already begun working with churches and local faith leaders to help slow the spread of the virus through public education campaigns focused on hygiene, early symptom reporting and safe burial practices.
Following a visit from Bunia in Ituri province, Poppy Anguandia, Tearfund’s country director in the DRC, warned that the outbreak poses a serious threat because of the region’s highly mobile population.
Over 170 people have already died and over 750 suspected cases identified. Anguandia said that population movement was making contact tracing increasingly challenging.
“We can waste no time in mobilising faith leaders to prevent the spread of Ebola,” said Anguandia, adding that pastors were already sharing practical guidance on handwashing, seeking medical help, and safely handling the bodies of victims in order to reduce transmission.
Tearfund has launched an emergency appeal to respond to the crisis.
Anguandia added, “The numbers are growing fast and timing is critical. This outbreak is situated in a densely populated region characterised by high levels of internal and cross-border migration. All the dominoes are set for a major disaster.
“In the DRC people often have to choose between water to drink or water to wash their hands. Many people don’t have access to running water and often have to walk for miles to collect even a small amount.”
The organisation, which has operated in Ituri province for more than a decade, said it had rapidly activated communication networks across local communities to distribute public health information and support preventative measures.
The charity also highlighted the wider humanitarian challenges facing the region, noting that many families lack access to basic sanitation supplies such as soap and clean water, which are critical in containing outbreaks of infectious disease.
Cuts to humanitarian aid in recent years have placed additional pressure on charities and healthcare providers responding to crises in vulnerable communities.
During previous Ebola outbreaks between 2018 and 2020, Tearfund partnered with health centres to install clean water facilities, triage and isolation units, latrines and incinerators as part of emergency response efforts.
The charity also previously worked alongside church leaders and local communities on awareness campaigns that included radio broadcasts, public announcements, music and door-to-door education initiatives delivered in local languages, aimed at reducing transmission and countering stigma surrounding Ebola survivors.
Samaritan's Purse announced that it is deploying a specialist disaster response team to the DRC as cases continue to rise.
The initial deployment is expected to include outbreak specialists, engineers, infection prevention experts and medical personnel tasked with bolstering local mission hospitals and strengthening infection control measures.
The Christian relief organisation said it is also preparing, in collaboration with the DRC government, an Ebola Treatment Centre and shipments of personal protective equipment for healthcare workers serving affected communities.
President of Samaritan’s Purse, Franklin Graham, said: “Samaritan's Purse has been on the frontlines of fighting Ebola for more than a decade, and we aren't going to stop now. We are going to do everything we can to help save lives. We want people to know that God loves them, and they are not alone.”
Samaritan’s Purse has previously operated Ebola treatment centres in both Liberia and the DRC during earlier outbreaks, while also carrying out large-scale public health education campaigns involving thousands of church leaders and local volunteers.
