Diocese of Goma Ebola update and response

On May 15 the government of Congo declared an Ebola outbreak, the 17th since Ebola was first discovered in 1976. This one is different. It was detected late, is spreading faster, and US AID cuts are undoubtedly already having an impact on detection and response. There is no treatment and no vaccine and 10 million people in eastern Congo do not live in areas controlled by the Congolese government, but live under the M23 movement, making a coordinated response to the outbreak more challenging.

The epicentre is further north from Goma, in Ituri, but we have had 2 cases already in Goma. There are over 1,000 total suspected cases so far, and nearly 200 suspected deaths. Tests need to be sent to Kinshasa, over 1000 miles away, to be verified.

As always the church is at the forefront of the response, offering health care, providing hope, raising awareness, and helping communities respond across the region. For this we need your help, primarily for education and awareness-raising to help stop the spread of Ebola as early as possible.

A 4 minute video update from the Diocese of Goma is here
If you want to give to the Diocese of Goma's Ebola response please do so here.

Ebola in the news

Ebola health centre attack video, The Guardian
Latest update video from the BBC

How can you pray?

• For a quick mobilisation of resources to test, isolate and treat patients

• For safety for health workers

• For effective awareness raising

• That political tensions would not hamper the response

• For the quickest possible development of a treatment and a vaccine

• That churches would continue to be voices of hope