Poppy Anguandia, Tearfund’s Country Director for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), has recently returned from Bunia, Ituri province, where a public health emergency of international concern was declared on Friday, May 15.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) advises that the current strain of Ebola detected in the North East of DRC is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, for which there are currently no approved vaccines or drugs.
‘We are particularly concerned that the virus has been detected in an area where there is a dense and transient population. The movement of people in this area means that contact tracing is difficult. Already, more than 130 people have died and more than 500 suspected cases have been identified,’ says Poppy.
‘We can waste no time in mobilising faith leaders to prevent the spread of Ebola. Pastors are already spreading vital advice on washing hands, seeking medical help at the first sign of symptoms, and issuing guidelines on how to handle dead bodies, to curb the spread of disease.
‘Tearfund has been working in Ituri province for 10 years and we have immediately mobilised a communications effort among our networks to share resources and make sure everyone has the information they need to keep each other as safe as possible.
‘Tearfund exists for such a time as this. Love leads us to support people living in extreme poverty who will be most desperately at risk. Simple things like soap for handwashing are luxuries many cannot afford, but these small measures save lives. With the collapse of humanitarian aid in recent years, NGOs like ours need even more support to be able to provide the basic services that offer the first line of protection against Ebola: clean water, hygiene and sanitation.’
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For further information or interview requests call Tearfund’s Media Team on 07929 339813 or email [email protected].
Notes to editors
- During the 2018-2020 Ebola crisis, Tearfund worked with health centres to provide basic clean water facilities and to set up triage units, isolation units and installed latrines and incinerators in support of the Ebola response.
- Working with faith leaders, Tearfund also ran a mass community awareness campaign, sharing information with local people about how to prevent Ebola from spreading. This involved producing Ebola prevention songs in local languages for broadcast on the radio and for use by choirs; talks and announcements in church services; and door-to-door awareness raising.
- Faith leaders, equipped by Tearfund with knowledge about prevention, were able to give vital advice on washing hands, seeking medical help at the first sign of symptoms, and guidance on safe burials, to curb the spread of disease. This education helped reduce the discrimination and stigma towards Ebola survivors.
Tearfund has been working in DRC since 1986.Tearfund’s work includes:
- Water and Sanitation Hygiene - contributes to major water projects, providing clean water and rehabilitation of water sources, promoting good hygiene practices and building toilets
- Supplies communities with seeds, tools and agricultural training to help them rebuild their livelihoods
- Helps women who are survivors of Sexual and Gender Based Violence - providing psychosocial support and working with faith leaders and communities to tackle negative gender stereotypes to reduce sexual and gender based violence
- Promotes maternal and infant health leading to a reduction in infant mortality and the spread of HIV/AIDS
Tearfund is a Christian charity that partners with churches in more than 50 of the world’s poorest countries. We tackle poverty through sustainable development, responding to disasters and challenging injustice. We believe an end to extreme poverty is possible. Tearfund is also a member of the Disasters Emergency Committee. For more information about the work of Tearfund, please visit www.tearfund.org.
