SAMARITAN'S PURSE AIRLIFTS EBOLA TREATMENT CENTER TO THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
Samaritan's Purse is airlifting an Ebola Treatment Center and personal protective equipment to the Democratic Republic of the Congo in response to the current Ebola outbreak. Disaster response specialists, including an outbreak specialist, an infection prevention and control specialist, and medical personnel, have recently deployed, with additional team members on their way. Their initial focus will be to implement infection prevention and control protocols for local mission hospitals and communities while coordinating with the Ministry of Health to establish an Ebola Treatment Center operated by Samaritan's Purse. This facility will function as an emergency field hospital specifically designed for treating Ebola patients.
The international Christian relief organization is utilizing a 767 cargo plane to airlift over 34 tons of essential medical supplies to assist in combatting the spread of the virus. The plane will land in Uganda, from where the supplies will be transported to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
"As this deadly Ebola virus spreads so does people's fear and uncertainty. They are in desperate need of emergency medical relief and supplies to help prevent the spread of this outbreak," said Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan's Purse. "That's why Samaritan's Purse is airlifting supplies to the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We want these communities to know they are not alone in fighting this virus. God loves them and wants to meet them in their need."
Media opportunities will be available at the 767 airlift on Sunday, May 24th, in Greensboro, North Carolina. Interviews can be conducted at 6 a.m. EST, with the 767's takeoff scheduled for 7 a.m. EST. Media representatives will have the chance to interview Edward Graham, Chief Operating Officer of Samaritan's Purse; Ken Isaacs, Vice President of Programs and Government Relations; and Dr. Elliott Tenpenny, who is leading the Ebola response from the organization's international headquarters.
Samaritan's Purse previously responded to the Ebola outbreak in Liberia in 2014 by establishing an Ebola treatment center that provided hands-on patient care and helped combat infection rates through hygiene training and prevention education, benefiting over 1.6 million people. In 2018, the organization established another Ebola Treatment Center in the Democratic Republic of Congo, treating more than 600 patients while continuing to educate local communities about disease prevention.
Based in Boone, North Carolina, Samaritan's Purse is an international Christian relief organization dedicated to addressing both the physical and spiritual needs of individuals affected by disasters and crises in the U.S. and across the globe. The organization, led by Franklin Graham, operates in over 100 countries, providing aid to victims of war, disaster, disease, poverty, famine, and persecution.