Health

Dr. Damas Lushima, wearing a mask and a Global Ministries vest, stands in front of the Ebola treatment center at the Rwampara General Referral Hospital in Bunia. As health department coordinator for the East Congo Episcopal Area, he oversees The United Methodist Church’s integrated response to the 17th Ebola outbreak affecting Ituri Province. Photo courtesy of the Eastern Congo Health Council.

Church steps up Ebola response in Congo

Facing a deadly Ebola flare up, the East Congo Episcopal Area of The United Methodist Church is rolling out an integrated response — spiritual, medical and community based — to protect the most vulnerable populations.

Global Health

Lab technician Arike Joel (right) conducts HIV testing during a soccer tournament hosted by The United Methodist Church at Imvepi Settlement in Arua, Uganda. The medical testing is part of the church’s Kick Out HIV campaign, which focuses on HIV prevention and self-care in refugee camps. While players battled for victory on the pitch, health workers offered confidential HIV testing and counseling on the sidelines. Photo by Juma Denis Daniel, UM News.

Church uses soccer to ‘kick out HIV’

As World Cup fever heats up, a United Methodist ministry is using soccer tournaments as a tool for voluntary HIV testing in Uganda.

Global Health

The Rev. Clément Kingombe Lutala (center), Dr. Damas Lushima (back center) and several United Methodist lay leaders wear masks and observe safety protocols in front of Ibanda United Methodist Church in South Kivu, Congo, amid a deadly Ebola outbreak in the region. Bishop Antoine Tambwe Kalema is calling all parishes to implement mandatory preventive measures to curb the spread of the virus. Photo by Philippe Kituka Lolonga, UM News.

Church urges vigilance amid Ebola outbreak

The United Methodist Church is working to deploy emergency relief efforts on the ground in East Congo, including community awareness campaigns within local churches to curb the spread of the disease.

Global Health

Sinnika A. Bangura (right), a staffer at the Lowell and Ruth Gess United Methodist Church Eye Hospital in Freetown, Sierra Leone, applies dilating eye drops to a young child with the support of his parents. The eye drops are administered to widen the eye pupil in preparation for examination. The United Methodist eye hospital was established in 1984 by Dr. Lowell Gess, a U.S. missionary. Photo by Eveline Chikwanah, UM News.

Church hospitals restore sight, health in Sierra Leone

The United Methodist Church’s medical facilities provide a wide range of care, drawing patients from neighboring countries as well.

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