An Ebola treatment centre has been sent to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) by Christian charity Samaritan's Purse.
The new facility will provide much-needed medical assistance to help combat the disease.
Around 220 people have died in the DRC from Ebola and there are more than 1,000 suspected cases. Uganda has now closed its border with the country to try to limit the spread of the outbreak.
Simon Herbert, managing officer at Samaritan’s Purse UK, told Premier Christian News the organisation airlifted more than 39 tonnes of supplies into affected areas over the weekend.
"That includes this Ebola treatment centre, which is effectively a series of pop-up module-type tents that we will construct, and which will then provide a 50-bed treatment centre in the region that needs it most,” he said.
It’s hoped the facility will be ready within a week, with the team working closely with local health authorities.
Herbert said the charity is not complacent about the health risks facing its teams, but added: “We believe that part of our calling as a Christian organisation, helping in Jesus’ name, is to run towards the fire, and that is what our teams are doing.
“They will be very well trained, they’ll take every precaution we can take, and they’ll be equipped to the highest standards. But nevertheless, we are aware they are running into risks.”
He said the mission was rooted in prayer: “We can take all the precautions, but God is sovereign, God has authority in all of this, and we just commit our teams to him, trusting that as we respond in his name, that he will help to protect our teams in this situation.”
Samaritan's Purse has a long history of responding to infectious diseases, including Ebola, cholera, diphtheria, and Covid-19. It also opened an Ebola treatment centre during the height of an outbreak in Liberia in 2014. In 2019, an Ebola treatment centre set up in the DRC cared for more than 600 patients.
President of Samaritan’s Purse Franklin Graham said: “Samaritan's Purse has been on the frontlines of fighting Ebola for more than a decade, and we aren't going to stop now. We are going to do everything we can to help save lives.
“We want people to know that God loves them, and they are not alone.”