At 4 a.m., Julien Nyembo left home on a motorbike to collect suspected cholera samples from a remote health-zone office in Tanganyika province in the DRC. By the time he reached the central hub, it was already 3 p.m.
The journey was difficult. Along the way, he rode on damaged roads, passed through multiple roadblocks where armed groups demanded money and even lost his cooler of samples to self-defense militias who disappeared into the bush with it. He followed them on foot and only got the cooler back after handing over the little cash he had.
Still, Julien’s story is part of a much bigger effort to contain cholera in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Since the beginning of 2026, parts of the DRC have experienced a resurgence of cholera cases. In affected health zones, medical teams work around the clock to triage patients, administer rehydration solutions and stabilize the most severe cases.
“Some days we receive several patients. Many arrive dehydrated, very weak and require immediate care,” confides Dr. Michel Chinish Koj, chief medical officer of a health zone in Tanganyika province.
Rapid detection and laboratory confirmation of cases remain essential to limit the disease’s spread. Yet in a vast country with challenging terrain and limited infrastructure, quickly transporting samples from remote health facilities to laboratories is far from simple.
A Nationwide Network of Trained Transporters
More than 110 private carriers have been trained by the provincial health authorities, with support from VillageReach. These dedicated transporters collect samples not only for cholera but also for other diseases with epidemic risk. They move them from health areas to central offices and onward to laboratories for rapid analysis.
For Julien Nyembo, this is more than a job. During the current cholera outbreak, his workload has doubled—he now makes at least four trips a week. “I do other activities, but there are times when I don’t wait for the call. I go myself to see if there are samples to transport. I do this work primarily to help the community.”
Christophe Mubake, a sample transporter in the Makala health area, travels by motorbike from Makala Health Center to the Kalemie health zone. Photo credit: Victor Rayus
Safety First: Biosafety Training Makes the Difference
Only months ago, transporters like Julien performed this vital work without formal training. Thanks to VillageReach’s biosafety and biosecurity program, they now follow strict protective measures. “VillageReach trained us on sample transport procedures and that helped us a lot,” Julien notes. “We were asked never to open the coolers en route. Before, we were curious. But now we understand that this practice exposes us to diseases. We were also told to avoid taking other people with us when transporting samples.”
The results are improving. “Previously, the situation was more complicated,” Dr. Chinish Koj recalls. “We had to contact multiple teams to organize transport step by step. This process was very time-consuming. Today, each team member knows exactly who is responsible for the next leg of the journey.”
A second innovation introduced with VillageReach’s support is the payment system. Transporters now receive payment automatically upon safe delivery of samples. This removes administrative delays and increases motivation.
Since 2025, VillageReach has partnered with the DRC’s health authorities in Tanganyika province and ten other provinces. With generous financial support from Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, the program ensures the secure transport of samples from diseases with epidemic risk, enabling faster detection, quicker response and ultimately saving lives.
Through this collaboration, dedicated transporters like Julien Nyembo are not only moving samples—they are helping protect entire communities from the threat of outbreaks.