Response to Ebola Outbreak in Boende

Community of the Disciples of Christ in Congo
Ebola Outbreak in Boende

The Community of the Disciples of Christ in Congo (CDCC), a long-standing partner of Global Ministries, has determined that eight samples from infected individuals in their Boende Post, Equator Province, have been confirmed to be the Ebola virus.  The outbreak has been officially acknowledged by the government.  At present, it is confined to Djera, in the Boende Territory and the area has been placed in quarantine.  According to information from the Ministry of Health, 13 victims have been identified.  The government has taken measures and they call on all partner organizations for their support.

Measures being taken for the response and contingency against the outbreak are:  

• The allocation of all neighboring health facilities with essential drugs and protective equipment;
• Capacity-building of staff and community members;
• Actions toward the prevention of disease;
• Training in the identification of the first signs of the disease to allow rapid evacuation and early treatment of affected individuals.

The CDCC, as a partner of the government’s Ministry of Health, is called upon to intervene.  They have been asked to urgently and immediately join forces with others to limit the damage that this disease may cause.  To this end, the CDCC firmly plans to carry out the following actions:

• Send a team to the scene:  Boende, Wema, and all Posts around the Djera area, such Bongindj and Ifumo;
• Equip health facilities of Boende and others (Monieka, Monkoto, Wema, Bongindji, Lofoy) that are exposed to this outbreak with essential drugs and protective equipment;
• Raise public awareness regarding the prevention of the disease.

Therefore, it is imperative that the CDCC strengthen health centers and posts especially in Boende (in the area of Djera, health facilities in the posts of Bongingji, Lofoy, Wini, Mangilombe, Ifumo, and Monieka) to make them more functional.  The Hospital of Monieka will receive special attention in this intervention because it is the hospital which is nearest to the epicenter of the outbreak, and also is located on the main channel of the river.

In order to meet these needs, the CDCC is asking for funds to support this effort, presenting a preliminary budget of just over $30,000 to provide protective supplies, medications, gasoline for travel and training materials.  The CDCC, in a communication from Reverend Eliki Bonanga, President of the CDCC, requests support from its partners, including Global Ministries, to assist them in this organized effort against the current outbreak in Boende, which may extend in other areas if both preventive and effective measures against the Ebola virus and curative measures against other common diseases are not taken in the areas near Djera.