SAMARITAN'S PURSE EBOLA TREATMENT CENTERS OPEN IN THE EPICENTER OF THE DEADLY OUTBREAK

Samaritan's Purse has established two Ebola Treatment Centers in Bunia and Nyankunde, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), aimed at providing care for patients affected by the Ebola virus. Each facility is equipped as an emergency field hospital with 40 patient beds to address needs in the Ituri Province, which has seen nearly 90% of the currently confirmed cases. The Bunia facility opened on Sunday, staffed by doctors and nurses from Samaritan's Purse, while the Nyankunde center is scheduled to open on Monday morning to enhance infectious disease treatment capacity.

Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan's Purse, commented on the situation, stating, "Ebola is an extremely dangerous virus, and the case numbers keep climbing. These Ebola Treatment Centers are going to help isolate and care patients who are suffering from the virus. Our prayer is that they will also bring hope to families and communities that are scared and hurting. We want them to know God loves them. Please pray for an end to this outbreak and for our team members who are willing to go help in Jesus' Name."

Having operated in the region for decades, Samaritan's Purse maintains a country office in the DRC. The organization has also deployed 65 disaster assistance response team members to support this initiative. Beyond patient care, these team members are involved in hygiene training and prevention education, having already installed numerous handwashing stations to help curb the spread of the disease.

Additionally, Samaritan's Purse has provided personal protective equipment to safeguard healthcare providers in the DRC and has airlifted tons of these essential resources to assist mission hospital partners. The organization is actively sourcing more personal protective equipment to address the increasing demands in the affected area.

Samaritan's Purse has a history of responding to Ebola outbreaks, including a treatment center established in Liberia in 2014, which provided care and hygiene training to over 1.6 million people. In 2018, the organization opened an Ebola Treatment Center in the DRC, treating more than 600 patients while continuing education efforts on disease prevention.