When an outbreak emerges, attention naturally focuses on the first confirmed case and the emergency measures that follow. Yet the true measure of an outbreak response is often found long after the headlines fade. Every day, decentralized laboratories continue receiving specimens, generating diagnostic results, and providing the information that allows health authorities to make informed decisions. Their work is quiet, highly technical, and indispensable—and it is sustained through partnership.

During the ongoing Bundibugyo virus disease response in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), decentralized laboratories have become a cornerstone of surveillance and patient care. Bringing diagnostic capacity closer to affected communities shortens the time required to confirm suspected cases, strengthens specimen referral systems, and supports faster, evidence-based public health action.

Working alongside the Ministry of Health of the DRC, the National Institute of Public Health (INSP), the Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB), the Centre des Opérations d'Urgence de Santé Publique (COUSP), provincial health authorities, and local laboratory professionals, Culmen International supports these efforts through funding provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Strengthening a Network of Laboratories

Effective outbreak response depends on far more than laboratory equipment. It requires trained personnel, reliable specimen transport, cold chain systems, personal protective equipment, laboratory consumables, information technology, operational logistics, and continuous coordination among partners. Since the beginning of the response, Culmen has supported laboratory operations across Bunia, Mongbwalu, Nyankunde, Aru, Beni, Bukavu, and Kinshasa, tailoring assistance to the operational needs of each site.

Whether supporting staffing, deploying laboratory equipment, strengthening specimen management, improving connectivity, or coordinating logistics, the goal has remained constant: helping decentralized laboratories continue providing timely and reliable diagnostic services throughout the response. Figure 1 illustrates the breadth of this coordinated support.

Decentralized laboratories are more than testing sites—they are part of the country's public health infrastructure. Throughout the response, Culmen has worked closely with national and provincial partners to support laboratory operations through personnel deployment, operational logistics, diagnostic supplies, specimen management, information technology, and coordination. These efforts reinforce the leadership of the DRC health authorities while strengthening the national laboratory network.

Nyankunde: Partnership in Practice

A recent field visit by Culmen's Deputy Technical Director, Dr. Francis Mbuyi, to Nyankunde Medical Center provided a close look at how this partnership comes together in the field. Laboratory professionals continue working under demanding conditions to process specimens, maintain biosafety standards, and support surveillance for surrounding communities. During the visit, Culmen staff reviewed workflows, assessed operational needs, and verified that recently deployed equipment was supporting daily diagnostic activities.

The visit underscored a simple reality: resilient laboratory systems are built through partnership. Equipment and supplies create capacity, but it is the dedication, expertise, and leadership of Congolese laboratory professionals that transform those resources into timely diagnoses and stronger surveillance.

More Than Equipment & Supplies

Recent support has included laboratory refrigerators and freezers, diagnostic supplies, specimen collection kits, personal protective equipment, and the logistics needed to sustain uninterrupted operations. These investments help preserve specimen integrity, strengthen biosafety practices, and improve the reliability of diagnostic services supporting both patient care and surveillance.

Logistics delivering freezers and fridges in Nyankunde

Sample Collection Kit

RadiOne Testing kits

 Investing in Local Capacity

While equipment is essential, the greatest strength of any laboratory system is its people. Alongside operational support, Culmen has worked with partners to provide consumables, includingsample collection kits and PPE to strengthen local capacity through practical training in specimen collection, biosafety, and laboratory procedures. These activities reinforce skills that will remain valuable well beyond the current outbreak and contribute to stronger national preparedness.

Culmen is currently working to deploy sample collection and sample management training in 10 health zones impacted by the current outbreak.

Expanding Diagnostic Reach

In addition to strengthening decentralized laboratories, Culmen has  partnered with the INRB Goma Laboratory to support surge laboratory capacity through deployment of a mobile BSL-2 laboratory in Katana, approximately 60 kilometers from Bukavu.

The mobile laboratory complements fixed laboratory infrastructure by expanding diagnostic reach and increasing flexibility during emergency response operations, particularly when laboratory demand increases or additional geographic coverage is required.

Together, decentralized laboratories and mobile laboratory capacity create a stronger, more resilient diagnostic network capable of adapting to evolving operational needs.

Partnership Makes the Difference

Every laboratory result reflects a chain of collaboration—from healthcare workers collecting specimens, to laboratory professionals processing them, to national institutions providing scientific leadership, and partners delivering technical and operational support. Together, decentralized laboratories and mobile laboratory capacity create a resilient diagnostic network capable of adapting to evolving operational needs.

One of the greatest privileges of working in global health is witnessing this, what partnership truly looks like. It is found in laboratories where local professionals continue serving their communities every day, in national institutions leading the response, and in the collaboration between organizations united by a common purpose. We should not forget that behind every diagnostic result or data point there is a network of people whose expertise, resilience, and commitment make stronger public health systems possible. It is a privilege for Culmen International to contribute to that collective effort, and personally, it is an honor to work alongside colleagues who continue to inspire me through their dedication to protecting the health of others.

Culmen International is grateful to the Ministry of Health of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, INSP, INRB, COUSP, provincial health authorities, and the dedicated laboratory professionals whose expertise and commitment drive the response every day. We also extend our sincere appreciation to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for its continued partnership and support in strengthening laboratory systems and advancing global health security.

As the Bundibugyo response continues, Culmen remains committed to supporting resilient laboratory systems that strengthen surveillance, improve preparedness, and help protect communities across the Democratic Republic of Congo.