World Relief Initiates Emergency Response to Emergent Ebola Outbreak in DR Congo, Urges U.S. Government Response

Global Christian humanitarian organization active in Ituri and North Kivu provinces

Contact: Lauren Rasmussen, media@wr.org, 802.310.4255

GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo – This weekend, World Relief initiated an all-hands regional response to the emerging Ebola outbreak in the Ituri province, Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), which has already claimed a suspected 125 lives including healthcare workers, with national and regional spread, including to Goma, the capital of North Kivu. World Relief’s existing relational and communication channels in the region are already being transitioned to distribute health-related cautionary messaging, and preparations are being made to train community health workers to prevent and handle Ebola cases.

In the 17^th outbreak since Ebola was first identified in 1976, the Congolese Ministry of Public Health initiated an investigation at the beginning of the month into over spiking numbers of social media alerts reporting clusters of deaths in Mongbwalu, Ituri. On May 15th, Ebola was confirmed in both DRC and Uganda, with the World Health Organization subsequently declaring the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on May 17th. The variant is known to be the Bundibugyo virus for which there is no vaccine, no licensed therapeutics or post-exposure prophylaxis.

“There are many markers of this outbreak that raise alarms for those working in the region, calling to mind early indicators of the Kivu Ebola outbreak that devastated the region and shocked a world audience in 2018,” commented Myal Greene, president and CEO of World Relief. “The first days of an outbreak are critical, and we’re grateful for the swift leadership of the DR Congo’s Ministry of Public Health and collaboration with all parties. Containing public health crises is a team endeavor, and we call on others to join in the effort.”

World Relief DR Congo has been working in the country since 2001, currently partnering with 188 churches in two districts to conduct agricultural, savings and health programming. Headquartered in Goma, the team has already begun distributing health risk mitigation messaging through its church and community networks, urging healthy practices to slow and prevent the spread.

“From the Kivu Ebola outbreak in 2018 to COVID-19 to mpox, this is yet another major health crisis this region has endured in less than a decade, and while many are adept at following important preventative practices, there is a lot of fatigue and complacency, especially after early false negatives,” commented Robert Batusa, program director for World Relief DR Congo. “We have learned through experience that the best way to save lives without a vaccine is through diligent communication about the risk, careful hygiene and prevention measures and contact tracing and epidemiological surveillance. I witnessed firsthand the importance of this kind of intervention as I helped navigate the humanitarian response to the Ituri Ebola outbreak between 2018 and 2020, and I am confident in the ability of the people of the DR Congo coordinate to stem the tide of this new outbreak.”

“To be doing any programming in the region is now to be doing health programming. World Relief has already begun disseminating key health risk mitigation messages to its partners and church networks, using the same channels it uses for the rest of its programming,” noted Lanre Williams-Ayedun, senior vice president of international programs. “We’re grateful for our local teams’ vigilance and quick response as the disease has gained ground. It’s time for the international audience to join the response. We urge the international community to step into the gap and prevent further spread before it is too late.”

“So far, the international response has been muted, relative to the gravity and potential impact of this crisis,” continued Greene. “When you consider that containing the Kivu Ebola outbreak for a year required a $98 million investment from USAID to prevent the spread and provide resources to combat the virus, the limited international response – $500,000 from the World Health Organization – while an urgently needed initial response, falls far short of the massive need. This is the first major test of the U.S.’s stated commitment to invest financially to mitigate major health crises since the dismantling of USAID. Will we rise to the standard we’ve set for ourselves?”

World Relief is continuing to monitor the regional spread, preparing country teams in Burundi and South Sudan. The organization has set a fundraising goal of $125,000 to meet initial needs in the area.

To learn more about World Relief’s response or to donate, visit give.worldrelief.org