When news of suspected Ebola cases began circulating in Bulape, a remote health zone in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the urgency was immediate. The fear of hemorrhagic fever prompted provincial health authorities to act fast – and VillageReach was there to help.
From the very beginning, VillageReach has been actively supporting the Ministry of Health in its response to diseases. Within hours of the alert, our team mobilized transporters to collect and deliver critical samples from Bulape to Tshikapa, the provincial capital and then on to the national lab in Kinshasa. These samples, taken from individuals who had died and others showing symptoms, were the first step in confirming the outbreak.
Getting Samples to the Lab – Against the Odds
Transporting samples in DRC is never simple. The infrastructure is limited, flights are irregular and distances are vast. With no time to lose, VillageReach quickly provided resources to send the samples by road – an 885 km journey from Tshikapa to Kinshasa – after missing the opportunity to use a plane that had already taken off by the time the samples arrived. They reached the National Institute for Biomedical Research (INRB) in Kinshasa the next morning, allowing for rapid analysis and confirmation of the outbreak on September 4.
A System Ready to Scale
VillageReach’s swift response was the result of years of preparation. Since 2022, we’ve partnered with the Ministry of Health to strengthen lab sample transport for diseases with epidemic potential, including polio, cholera, mpox and now Ebola. By collaborating with private transporters and provincial health authorities across DRC, we’ve helped reduce sample transport times from over 13 days to under 10 in some regions, laying a strong foundation for rapid response.
Now, with support from the Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited’s Global CSR program, VillageReach is expanding this program to six provinces, including Kasai. The initiative goes beyond sample delivery to include biosecurity training for transporters and community-based surveillance. In Bulape and surrounding areas, contracts with local carriers—whose networks rely on motorbike riders—are enabling access to even the most remote communities. To further strengthen diagnostic capacity, a new laboratory is being established in Mweka.
Supporting Governments and Communities
VillageReach’s role goes beyond logistics. We’re providing technical assistance to the Public Health Emergency Operations Center (COUSP), supporting community health workers to track contacts and helping ensure that surveillance systems are sensitive and responsive. As Dr. Léon Mwanza, our lab sample transport supervisor in Tshikapa, explains:
“We have trained transporters and community health workers so that affected persons (contacts) are located faster and are not lost in the community.”
A Blueprint for Future Outbreaks
The Ebola outbreak in DRC is a stark reminder of how fragile health systems can be – but it’s also a proof point for what’s possible. When lab transport is integrated into primary health care, and when governments lead with the right support, responses can be fast, coordinated and effective.
VillageReach remains committed to collaborating with governments to build systems that not only respond to emergencies but also protect communities every day. The call to action is clear: invest in PHC and lab systems that deliver equity, resilience and trust.