One Canadian employee of Samaritan’s Purse is already working in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and more are preparing to deploy, as we work to control a deadly outbreak of Ebola Virus.
So far, more than 750 Ebola cases and 510 deaths have been reported in the impoverished African nation since August 2018. That makes it the world’s second-worst outbreak of Ebola, after an epidemic in 2014-2015 when more than 28,000 cases and 11,000 deaths happened in Liberia and four other west African countries. Samaritan’s Purse played a leading role in bringing the Liberian outbreak under control.
The Samaritan’s Purse water and sanitation specialist from Canada who is now in the DRC is building isolation units for Ebola patients so they can be treated properly without endangering other people.
Samaritan’s Purse has also set up an Ebola Treatment Unit, in the North-Kivu province in north-east DRC.
Ebola is highly contagious, and Canadian donations are enabling us to train and equip DRC health care workers to ensure they don’t contract the virus while treating patients.
“We gained a lot of expertise in fighting Ebola from our time in Liberia,” says David Bock, Samaritan’s Purse Canada’s International Disaster Response Manager. “That knowledge and experience are making us more effective in helping the people of the DRC fight this dangerous disease.”
Some of the other Canadians who are preparing to go to the DRC in late December have medical training, and all are specially equipped to deal with Ebola.
As we carry out this vital work, we are trusting God to give us opportunities to tell Ebola patients and the DRC medical staff that Canadians care about them and “The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save” (Zephaniah 3:17 ESV).
You can support the struggling people of the DRC through your donations to Samaritan’s Purse and through your prayers. Let’s join together in making a life-saving difference in Jesus’ name.
Samaritan's Purse responds to humanitarian crises with physical aid and a message of spiritual hope for victims of natural disasters, famine, poverty, and war. Your gift will allow us to share Jesus' love through clean water, food, shelter, medical supplies, personnel, and other aid.