What Dr. Fielder’s experience in the Democratic Republic of the Congo reveals about the importance of preparing hospitals before the next emergency.
By Ray R. Harris
When Ebola reaches a community, every decision matters. Healthcare workers must recognize the danger, protect patients and colleagues, and continue providing essential care—all while confronting a disease that leaves little room for error.
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the 2026 Ebola outbreak has brought these challenges into sharp focus. The outbreak involves the Bundibugyo virus, a form of Ebola for which no licensed vaccine or specific treatment was available as of October 2026.
Few people understand the challenges facing African hospitals as personally as Dr. Jon Fielder, an infectious disease physician who has served in Africa for more than two decades and co-founded African Mission Healthcare (AMH).
In this special webinar, Face to Face with Ebola, Dr. Fielder shares his firsthand experience in the DRC and offers viewers a perspective on the realities behind the headlines.
We suggest fast-forwarding through the first minute of the recording as there’s an administrative delay at the beginning as the global audience is arriving for the webinar.
Watch: Face to Face with Ebola
The recorded webinar offers an opportunity to hear directly from Dr. Fielder about his experience in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
When an Emergency Arrives, Preparation Matters
An Ebola outbreak tests far more than a hospital’s ability to care for one disease. Doctors and nurses need to recognize potential infections, follow effective infection-control procedures, and protect themselves while treating patients. Hospitals need appropriate protective equipment, diagnostic capabilities, and dependable systems for responding to rapidly changing conditions.
At the same time, the ordinary medical needs of a community do not disappear. Mothers still need emergency obstetric care. Children still become ill. Patients still require surgery and treatment for chronic diseases. A hospital must be equipped to respond to the immediate threat without losing its ability to serve everyone else who depends on it. That kind of readiness cannot be improvised in the middle of an emergency.
Building Readiness Before the Next Crisis
The experience of Ebola reinforces a principle central to African Mission Healthcare’s work: strong hospitals are built before the emergency arrives.
Through its Mission Hospital Readiness initiative, AMH is working to strengthen mission hospitals with essential supplies, equipment, and practical training for healthcare professionals. Protective equipment and infection-control supplies help protect the people providing care. Training strengthens their ability to recognize threats, respond appropriately, and use available resources effectively.
These investments have benefits that extend beyond infectious disease outbreaks. The same stronger systems and better-prepared medical teams can help hospitals respond to trauma, maternal emergencies, surgical complications, and other urgent needs. For communities that depend on mission hospitals, preparedness means that the next crisis does not have to begin with hospitals struggling to assemble the resources they need.
About Dr. Jon Fielder
Dr. Jon Fielder is the co-founder and Chief Executive of African Mission Healthcare. A graduate of Baylor College of Medicine who completed his internal medicine residency at Johns Hopkins Hospital, he has served as a medical missionary in Africa since 2002. His clinical work has included HIV and tuberculosis care, and he has dedicated much of his career to strengthening African healthcare institutions.
Help Hospitals Be Ready
An emergency may arrive without warning. The preparation that makes an effective response possible must begin long before it does.
African Mission Healthcare’s Mission Hospital Readiness initiative helps equip and train healthcare professionals so they can care for their communities when the need is greatest.