Serge
A US-based Protestant missionary and humanitarian organisation that operates medical programmes in sub-Saharan Africa, including surgical services in DR Congo's Ituri Province.
Last refreshed: 24 May 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
What outbreak-preparedness standards protect missionary surgeons operating in active Ebola zones?
Timeline for Serge
Deployed Dr Stafford to operate in Bunia before the outbreak was identified
Pandemics and Biosecurity: American surgeon caught Ebola in Bunia- What is Serge missionary organisation?
- Serge, formerly Servants Group International, is a US Presbyterian Church in America missionary organisation deploying medical and church-planting teams across sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and Latin America.Source: Serge / Lowdown
- How did a Serge missionary get Ebola?
- Dr Peter Stafford, a Serge surgeon posted to Bunia, DRC, was exposed to Bundibugyo Ebola around 11 May 2026 while performing surgery before the outbreak was formally identified. He was confirmed on 20 May and evacuated to Germany.Source: WHO / Lowdown outbreak reports
- Is Serge still operating in Ituri after the Ebola case?
- Yes. Serge confirmed it continues field operations in Ituri under enhanced infection prevention and control protocols following Dr Stafford's diagnosis and evacuation in May 2026.Source: Serge / Lowdown
Background
Serge (formerly Servants Group International) is a US-based Christian missionary organisation affiliated with the Presbyterian Church in America, deploying medical, educational, and church-planting teams in sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and Latin America. In the context of the 2026 Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak, Serge became internationally prominent when Dr Peter Stafford, a general surgeon serving under the organisation in Bunia, Ituri Province, was confirmed as the first US national infected with Bundibugyo Ebola. He was evacuated to Germany on 20 May 2026 in stable condition; his family was placed under monitoring.
Serge operates in fragile and conflict-affected contexts where state healthcare capacity is limited. Its medical teams, while qualified, work in facilities with limited PPE stockpiles and no standing Ebola-level IPC protocols before an outbreak is formally declared. The Bunia posting placed Stafford in an operating environment where Bundibugyo cases were circulating but unidentified when he was exposed around 11 May 2026.
The case prompted scrutiny of pre-deployment outbreak-preparedness standards and medevac arrangements across faith-based medical NGOs operating in outbreak-prone regions. Serge confirmed the situation publicly and cooperated with DRC and German health authorities. The organisation continues field operations in Ituri under enhanced protective protocols.
