DR CONGO: Salesian missionaries step up prevention, awareness efforts in face of Ebola emergency
Thousands of youth and their families pass through Salesian centers daily
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries are stepping up preventive measures in their centers in the face of the growing Ebola outbreak affecting the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo*. According to the latest data from the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 750 suspected cases and more than 170 deaths have already been recorded.
Every day, thousands of youth and their families pass through Salesian centers such as Don Bosco Ngangi, Bosco Lac or the Goma Technical, and Industrial Institute to receive education, food, support and basic medical care. Awareness-raising initiatives are being carefully carried out to ensure the population knows how to prevent infection and how to react if symptoms appear.
“The most important thing now is to keep people well informed and avoid panic,” according to the Salesians in Goma. In recent weeks, new hand-washing stations have been installed, hygiene campaigns have been increased, and youth and their families are being made aware of basic preventive measures.
Most of the infections are concentrated in the Congolese province of Ituri, in the northeast of the country. However, there is also concern regarding North Kivu, due to the constant movement of people and the commercial and human links with the affected areas.
In Goma, where the Salesian center is located, the city is marked by violence, forced displacement and extreme poverty, and the situation remains under health surveillance. For the time being, the authorities have reported only a few isolated cases, involving people from the affected areas, with no widespread outbreak recorded in the city.
Nevertheless, fear and uncertainty are very much present among the population. A Salesian noted, “Thousands of families are surviving in very precarious conditions, and a health emergency such as this represents an additional threat to those who have already lost almost everything.”
Salesian work extends across the country. In cities such as Lubumbashi, Kinshasa, Mbuji-Mayi and Tshikapa, Salesians run schools, youth centers and child support programs. In more isolated and impoverished areas such as Kasenga, Mokambo, Sakania and Kipushya, they carry out educational and social projects.
Salesians are also in Uvira, Bukavu, Nyakadaka and Kalemie, in the eastern part of the country, one of the regions most affected by armed violence and mass displacement. There, in addition to education, the Salesians provide humanitarian aid, protection for displaced children and support for families who have been living for years amidst conflict and a constant succession of new emergencies.
“The population is tired of constantly living with emergencies including war, displacement, hunger and now also the fear of Ebola,” explained Salesian Father Domingo de la Hera, who has been working for decades in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The WHO has reiterated that the risk remains “very high” in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, due to the fragility of the healthcare system, insecurity and the constant movement of the population. Furthermore, there is still no approved specific vaccine for the strain identified.
Salesian missionaries have been working in the Democratic Republic of the Congo for more than 100 years, ensuring that the most vulnerable children are not forgotten. Salesian primary and secondary schools and programs lay the foundation for early learning, while Salesian trade, vocational and agricultural programs offer many youth the opportunity for a stable and productive future.
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Sources:
Photo courtesy of Misiones Salesianas via ANS
Salesian Missions – Democratic Republic of the Congo
UNHCR – Democratic Republic of the Congo
*Any goods, services, or funds provided by Salesian Missions to programs located in these countries were administered in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including sanctions administered by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control.
