Read the French version of the blog here
In the Tabac Congo health area in Tanganyika Province in the DRC, Sumbya Saidi begins his day by visiting different households in his community. As a community health volunteer in a province facing several disease outbreaks, including cholera, this early vigilance can make a real difference.
“Because I am familiar with the community, when I visit a household, I introduce myself as a community health volunteer and ask whether a child or another member of the household is showing signs of illness. If I hear about diarrhea and vomiting, I immediately suspect cholera and encourage the family to quickly go to the nearest health center, while reassuring them that they will receive proper medical care from health workers,” explains Saidi.
This early detection is critical. In Kalemie, the capital of Tanganyika Province, as well as in many surrounding villages, many patients were arriving at health facilities in critical condition. Limited access to safe drinking water, population displacement linked to conflict in eastern DRC, and the strain on an already fragile health system made the response even more difficult, highlighting community surveillance as a first line of defense.
Saidi is one of 650 community health volunteers trained by VillageReach in community-based surveillance for epidemic-prone diseases, particularly cholera. Before this training, he explains that he did not have the necessary tools to quickly identify suspected cases and respond with confidence.
“It was important for us, as community health volunteers, to strengthen our capacities on the fundamentals of community surveillance,” he says. “This training enabled us to identify suspected cholera cases and other diseases under surveillance, and to serve as a bridge with health centers by reporting alerts during this outbreak period in our province.”
Community health volunteers now play a vital role in detecting cases. Their work helps health teams identify suspected cases within communities and refer them to the nearest health facilities for treatment.
But identifying a suspected case is not enough. Diagnoses must also be confirmed quickly.
Sumbya Saidi, a community health worker, speaks with community members in the Tabac Congo health area of Tanganyika Province, DRC. Photo credit: Patrick Kahondwa.
Improving Confirmation and Response
Detecting a suspected case is only the first step. For the response to be effective, these cases must also be confirmed quickly so health teams can act based on reliable information.
That is why VillageReach, with support from Takeda, strengthened a network of transporters trained in the safe handling of biological samples. These transporters ensure the delivery of samples from collection points to testing laboratories.
For a long time, this stage was one of the weakest links in the health system because samples sometimes remained for several days at community or zonal levels before reaching the laboratory.
“Today, VillageReach provides important support because previously, samples collected at health facilities faced serious transportation challenges,” explains Armand Luhembwe Mutadi, Cholera Focal Point in Tanganyika. “A sample could be collected, but no transporter was available to quickly deliver it because of a lack of motivation. Today, with VillageReach’s support, the situation is improving,” he adds.
This improvement is essential. Faster transportation enables a quicker response and helps limit transmission within communities by supporting well-informed decisions from health authorities regarding prevention measures and disease control.
Supporting Care During Stockouts
VillageReach also supported the medical management of patients admitted to cholera treatment centers to ensure timely care.
A significant supply of cholera medicines was provided to the province to strengthen treatment services and help health facilities cope with the increase in cases.
“This donation arrived at a time when the province was on maximum alert regarding the availability of supplies needed for cholera case management,” explains Dr. Steven Banza, Head of Medical Supplies and Logistics at the Tanganyika Provincial Health Division.
“We were experiencing stockouts of essential medicines for cholera treatment, such as Ringer’s lactate and oral rehydration salts, throughout the province, and this donation represents a major step forward in improving cholera case management.”
For frontline health workers, this support goes beyond simply replenishing supplies. It helps restore confidence that patients will be treated when they arrive, particularly in a context where health facilities are under pressure.
A Stronger Response Chain
The cholera response in Tanganyika still faces many challenges. But the experiences of community health volunteers, sample transporters and health officials show that the response becomes stronger when surveillance systems, sample transportation and medical supply systems work together.
In Tanganyika, every strengthened link — from community surveillance to sample transportation and medical care — contributes to saving lives and improving the response to cholera.