Church steps up Ebola response in Congo

Key points:

• The United Methodist Church is stepping up its on‑the‑ground Ebola response in eastern Congo by leading awareness campaigns in local churches, mobilizing community radio stations and training health workers and community relays to slow the spread of the virus.
• As of June 29, Congolese authorities and international partners report more than 1,200 confirmed cases and over 350 deaths linked to the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus in Congo, with Ituri as the epicenter and health zones in North Kivu and South Kivu under close watch.
• “With God’s help and by respecting public health measures, we can defeat this outbreak,” says Bishop Antoine Kalema Tambwe, who calls on the faithful to make discipline and prevention their strongest testimony.

As the Ebola outbreak continues to threaten communities in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the wider region, The United Methodist Church is strengthening its commitment to prevent infections, support health facilities and inform the public — from urban centers to the most remote areas.

Through seminars, specialized trainings and the strategic use of local radio, United Methodist pastors, doctors and communicators are multiplying initiatives so that knowledge can become a true barrier against the virus.

Since spring 2026, the Ebola virus disease outbreak linked to the Bundibugyo strain, the 17th recorded in the Democratic Republic of Congo, has hit the country and spread to Uganda. One case has been reported in France.

As of June 29, Congolese authorities — backed by international agencies — report 1,307 confirmed cases of Ebola virus disease in Congo, including 377 related deaths, while Uganda has recorded 20 confirmed cases and two deaths. Ituri remains the epicenter with more than 1,100 confirmed cases across over 20 health zones, while North Kivu and South Kivu have a smaller number of cases, but are considered high‑risk because of population movements and operational challenges.

The World Health Organization has declared the situation a “public health emergency of international concern,” and the risk remains high for countries neighboring Congo and Uganda. Several states have strengthened border surveillance, put health screenings in place for travelers and advised against non‑essential travel to affected areas. In Europe, imported cases have been confirmed but, at this stage, the risk of widespread transmission is still considered low.

In Kinshasa, authorities have stepped up surveillance and screening at entry points to the capital, while in the United States and other countries, public health services have issued advisories and set up detection and isolation protocols for travelers coming from affected areas.

From the onset of the Ebola virus on May 15, The United Methodist Church has urged vigilance amid the Ebola outbreak.

In every gathering and worship service since the virus appeared, Bishop Antoine Kalema Tambwe has multiplied messages of awareness. He reminds people of the danger of the disease and the need to follow the guidance of health professionals.

“The faith that saves us is a faith that acts. Ignoring prevention measures under the pretext of prayer is a mistake; we must pray for healing, but we must also, out of respect for the life God has given us, follow the health experts’ advice rigorously,” Bishop Kalema said. “Science is a tool God has placed at our disposal to protect his people.”

Backed by an initial grant of US$20,000 from the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries’ Global Health unit, the Health Board for East Congo — where the outbreak began — is working to build the capacity of 10 United Methodist health facilities by supplying protective equipment, hygiene kits, essential medicines and staff training.

In Bunia, at the heart of Ituri Province where the outbreak started, Dr. Damas Lushima, Health Department Coordinator for the East Congo Episcopal Area, described a mixed reality: “It is true that the situation remains worrying, but it is also full of hope. Thanks to the joint efforts of the Ministry of Health, local authorities, technical and humanitarian partners, and the communities themselves, surveillance, alert investigation and case management activities have been rapidly strengthened.”

Lushima pointed out, however, that the response is unfolding “in a context marked by insecurity, frequent population movements, the spread of rumors and misinformation, as well as fear and sometimes stigma against affected people.” All these factors can delay the reporting of suspected cases and limit adherence to prevention measures.

Drawing on experience from previous outbreaks in Beni, Goma, Bukavu, Uvira, Kisangani and now Ituri, “this experience allows us to act quickly by mobilizing our health facilities, our community network and our church leaders to provide a complementary response to the efforts of the government and response partners,” he said.

In neighboring episcopal areas, actions are also being taken to curb the spread of Ebola.

Local radio and community awareness

“The United Methodist Church remains committed and strong to care, prevent and educate on social distancing against Ebola,” said the Rev. Betty Kazadi Musau of the North Katanga and Tanzania Episcopal Area. Despite losing loved ones to the disease, she said that “continuous education in the midst of death is implemented to save lives.”

In this vulnerable context, The United Methodist Church is implementing life‑saving activities: supporting families, disseminating prevention measures and maintaining vigilance in large church gatherings. As annual conferences approach, prevention measures — mandatory mask wearing, hand‑washing stations in worship and meeting venues — are planned to reduce the risk of transmission.

Beyond sanctuaries and conference halls, local radio stations are being mobilized by medical staff to reach not only United Methodists but also the wider surrounding communities. “They deserve information, for information is key for life,” Musau said, stressing the vital role of access to information during an epidemic.

Radio makes it possible to reach people living in hard‑to‑reach areas where health teams’ movements are sometimes limited. Messages in local languages, interactive programs, public service announcements and testimonies are among the tools used to explain how the virus is transmitted, the symptoms to watch for and the right steps to take when a case is suspected.

Beyond initiatives led by the church’s health structures, specialized communication partners are joining the effort. The Rev. Neelley Hicks, United Methodist deacon and head of Harper Hill Global, has supported the awareness campaign by funding prevention messages in Swahili, Lingala and French, broadcast six times a day on Radio Canal Révélation in Bunia, Ituri Province, the epicenter of the outbreak.

In addition to radio campaigns, Harper Hill Global organized an international webinar on June 24, bringing together United Methodist communicators from the Congo and Uganda to share factual information about Ebola and coordinate prevention messaging. Hicks led the session in partnership with Judith Osongo, director of communications for the East Congo Episcopal Area; the Rev. Betty Kazadi Musau, and other communication leaders, to strengthen local churches’ capacity to “reach vulnerable populations with reliable information in the language of their hearts.”

For Bishop Kalema, this mobilization does not stop at the doors of the churches.

“Ebola knows neither borders nor religious affiliations. When one of our brothers or sisters is threatened, the entire body of Christ suffers. Our church will never be a place of indifference,” he said. “Be ambassadors of prevention in your homes, in your neighborhoods and in your villages. Washing hands and respecting physical distance is also an act of Christian charity.”

In the Tanganyika Episcopal Area, the Coordination of Medical Works — under Bishop Kalombo Ngoy Nelson, Ph.D. — organized a major Ebola awareness seminar on Ebola on June 16-18 in Kalemie. Under the theme “Protect ourselves, Protect our families and Protect our community against Ebola virus disease,” this three‑day event aimed to strengthen public knowledge about prevention, protection and response measures.

The event brought together members of the episcopal office, the district superintendents of Kalemie and Kabimba, leaders of church departments and agencies and representatives of United Methodist congregations and schools. Speakers focused on how the virus is transmitted, everyday protection methods, the importance of early reporting of suspected cases and the central role of communities in controlling the spread.

Training responders

In Kisangani — the seat of the Equator and Oriental Annual Conference — the Health Coordination, with support from partners such as Global Ministries and UMCOR, organized training on Infection Prevention and Control as part of the Ebola response. Under Bishop Kalema, clinical providers, religious leaders and community relays were brought together to strengthen their capacities.

Community relays are local volunteers who connect public health systems with underserved populations.

Doctors and health leaders led a training session to deepen understanding of Ebola. Dr. Bolonge Bombele Étienne, chief medical officer of the Mangobo health zone, explained transmission routes and preventive measures. Dr. Lombale Jean Paul, head of the medical works department of the Church of Christ in the Congo, described the main symptoms and case management. Albert Wembakoy, health supervisor for the Equator and Oriental Annual Conference in the East Congo Episcopal Area, emphasized strict use of personal protective equipment to safeguard both patients and health workers.

During the meeting, the Rev. Aaron Boluta Bofee preached on the theme “My people perish for lack of knowledge,” drawn from John 3:10 and Amos 4:6. He urged participants to listen attentively so they could fully grasp the teaching and then pass it on to their communities.

Dr. Damas Lushima stressed that the Health Department’s approach “is based on an integrated response that brings together medical, community and spiritual dimensions.” Since the first alerts, Lushima notes, “we have been strengthening health providers’ capacities on infection prevention and control, triage, early detection of suspected cases and safe referral procedures.”

Lushima added that community relays are being equipped and mentored to “raise public awareness, quickly detect alerts, guide sick people to health facilities and counter rumors that often undermine the response.” United Methodist hospitals “are mobilized to rigorously apply prevention measures and work closely with health authorities.”

At the same time, “we use churches, women’s groups, youth movements and religious leaders as communication platforms to spread messages grounded in scientific evidence, using language that is accessible and respectful of cultural realities,” he said. The integration of psychosocial and spiritual support aims to “preserve dignity, restore hope and strengthen families’ resilience.”

Even though the response is still ongoing, Lushima said there has been “better community adherence to prevention messages, growing collaboration with health facilities and remarkable involvement of religious leaders in raising awareness and guiding the public.”

Lushima said the grant from Global Ministries has been “a decisive lever allowing the Health Department to rapidly deploy priority Ebola response interventions on the ground.”

He added that the spiritual dimension cannot be separated from health engagement.

“Faith never opposes science,” he said. “On the contrary, it calls us to protect life, which is a precious gift from God. Protecting ourselves, seeking care quickly, respecting prevention measures and cooperating with response teams are acts of responsibility toward ourselves, our families and the whole community.”

“Fear divides, while knowledge brings light and allows us to act with discernment,” he said, urging communities to reject all forms of stigma against patients, survivors and their families. He insists on the need to continue the fight “in a spirit of unity,” bringing together health authorities, medical professionals, churches, community leaders and the population.

The Rev. Batale Esele, vice‑chair of the Health Board, praised The United Methodist Church’s commitment in the Ebola fight.

In his messages, Bishop Kalema also stresses vigilance and discipline.

“My people, do not let yourselves be misled by rumors that kill faster than the virus itself. Truth comes from the information provided by health authorities,” he said. “As United Methodists, we must be the first to set an example: discipline in our worship services and in our daily lives is today our strongest testimony before the nation.”

Londe is a UM News correspondent based in Congo. The Rev. Betty Kazadi Musau, director of communications for the North Katanga and Tanzania Episcopal Area; Lebo Okito, communicator for the Equator and Oriental Annual Conference; Jenovic Mandanj, communicator for the Tanganyika Episcopal Area; and Kathy L. Gilbert, a freelance writer in Nashville, contributed to this article.

News media contact: Julie Dwyer at [email protected]. To read more United Methodist news, subscribe to the free UM News Digest.