All photographs by Josué Kumbi.
During an Ebola outbreak, every hour matters. Rapid laboratory confirmation helps health authorities isolate cases, trace contacts and respond quickly to stop further transmission.
Early in the Ebola outbreak in Ituri Province, samples collected for diagnosis often experienced backlogs while awaiting transfer to satellite laboratories for testing. To help address this challenge, VillageReach supported the government by deploying of a dedicated vehicle as an emergency adaptation to strengthen the Ebola response. The vehicle enabled the safe and timely transfer of specimens from treatment centers such as Rwampara, located nearly 20 kilometers from the provincial laboratory, with multiple collection rounds conducted each day to support rapid testing and diagnosis.
This photo essay highlights the people, processes and partnerships behind that journey.
On the Front Lines of Outbreak Response
Ebola treatment centers are often the first point of contact for people with suspected infection. Here, health workers identify potential cases and begin the process that can lead to lifesaving laboratory confirmation.
Preparing to Work Safely
Before entering clinical areas, health workers carefully put on personal protective equipment (PPE) according to established protocols for the collection and handling of Ebola samples. Every step helps protect staff, patients and communities while ensuring specimens can be collected safely.
At the Rwampara Ebola Treatment Center, Christian Ntumba, a medical biologist from the National Institute of Biomedical Research (INRB), helps Daniel Bayigani, head of the laboratory pillar for the Rwampara Health Zone, put on his personal protective equipment.
Protecting Every Specimen
Once collected, blood samples are labelled, documented and packed in approved containers. Proper handling preserves sample quality and helps ensure accurate test results.
The Journey Begins
After collection and packaging, specimens are carefully transported out of the treatment center and prepared for delivery to the provincial laboratory.
Passing the Baton
Safe specimen transport depends on coordination. Once samples are ready, trained transport personnel take responsibility for maintaining biosafety and ensuring timely delivery.
Erick Pirwoth, a technician at the Ituri laboratory, arrives with coolers containing Ebola samples.
Ready for the Road
Samples are loaded into a dedicated vehicle that connects treatment centers with laboratory services, helping speed diagnosis and public health action.
Dr. Christian Ntumba loads the vehicle before departing the Ebola Treatment Center.
Bridging Distance and Diagnosis
Transport teams travel between treatment centers and laboratories, ensuring specimens can reach testing facilities quickly and safely, even across challenging terrain.
Connecting Patients to Answers
Every timely delivery helps laboratories process specimens sooner, enabling faster confirmation of cases and supporting outbreak response efforts.
Maintaining Traceability
Before testing begins, laboratory staff verify documentation and record each specimen, ensuring every sample can be tracked accurately throughout the diagnostic process.
From Transport to Testing
With the specimen safely delivered, laboratory teams can begin testing, generating the information needed to guide patient care and public health decisions.
While this photo essay focuses on Ebola specimen transport in Ituri Province, it reflects a broader effort to strengthen disease surveillance and outbreak response across the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Working with health authorities in 11 provinces, VillageReach has helped build networks of local transporters who safely move patient specimens to laboratories for testing. Their work supports faster diagnosis, treatment and containment of outbreak-prone diseases such as Ebola, cholera, polio, measles and yellow fever, helping communities and health systems respond more quickly to public health threats learn more: How Dedicated Sample Transporters Are Speeding Cholera Response in the DRC