Samaritan's Purse has opened two Ebola Treatment Centers in Bunia and Nyankunde, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), to care for patients suffering from the deadly Ebola virus. These facilities are specially equipped emergency field hospitals with 40 patient beds each to help meet the needs in the Ituri Province, where nearly 90 percent of currently confirmed cases are located. The Bunia facility opened Sunday and has Samaritan's Purse doctors and nurses providing hands-on care. The Nyankunde site is set to open Monday morning and will provide desperately needed infectious disease treatment capacity to the hospital there.

"Ebola is an extremely dangerous virus, and the case numbers keep climbing," said Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan's Purse. "These Ebola Treatment Centers are going to help isolate and care for patients who are suffering from the virus. Our prayer is that they will also bring hope to families and communities that are scared and hurting. We want them to know God loves them. Please pray for an end to this outbreak and for our team members who are willing to go help in Jesus' Name."

Samaritan's Purse has worked in the region for decades and has a country office in the DRC. The organization also sent 65 disaster assistance response team members to support this effort. In addition to patient care, they are conducting hygiene training and prevention education and have already installed dozens of handwashing stations. This is critical in helping stop the spread of the disease.

Samaritan's Purse has also provided personal protective equipment to help safeguard healthcare providers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to mission hospital partners. The N.C.-based organization has airlifted tons of these life-saving resources and is actively procuring more personal protective equipment to help meet growing needs in the affected area.

MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES:

Interview Franklin Graham, President of Samaritan's Purse
Interview Edward Graham, Chief Operating Officer of Samaritan's Purse
Interview Ken Isaacs, Vice President of Programs and Government Relations at Samaritan's Purse
Interview Shannon Hamilton, team lead on the ground in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Interview Dr. Elliott Tenpenny, leading the Ebola response from the organization's international headquarters.
Broadcast-quality b-roll and high-res photos available

MEDIA REQUEST FORM

In 2014, Samaritan's Purse responded to the Ebola outbreak in Liberia by opening an Ebola treatment center - giving hands-on patient care - and combated infection rates by providing hygiene training and prevention education to more than 1.6 million people. In 2018, Samaritan's Purse established an Ebola Treatment Center in the Democratic Republic of Congo, treating more than 600 patients and continuing to educate communities on best practices to help stop the spread of the disease.

ABOUT SAMARITAN'S PURSE
Based in Boone, North Carolina, Samaritan's Purse is an international Christian relief organization that responds to the physical and spiritual needs of individuals in the aftermath of disasters and crisis situations - both in the U.S. and around the world. Led by President and CEO Franklin Graham, Samaritan's Purse works in more than 100 countries to provide aid to victims of war, disaster, disease, poverty, famine, and persecution. For more information, visit SamaritansPurse.org.

SOURCE Samaritan's Purse