Meet Dr Alain Mukendi- a young African epidemiologist helping to fight Ebola

“I am proud to serve as an Africa CDC volunteer to help my country in the fight against Ebola”

Dr. Alain Mukendi, a medical epidemiologist, describes his career in volunteering and thanks Africa CDC for responding to the request of the Congolese authorities to support the post-Ebola period.

Dr. Alain Mukendi wa Kalenga, a young Congolese medical epidemiologist, has been recruited by the Africa CDC as a volunteer of the African Volunteer Health Corps to be part of the team that supports the Congolese government in its surveillance activities post Ebola.

Residing in Kinshasa, the Congolese capital, Dr. Alain Mukendi studied medicine at the Catholic University of Bukavu and specializes in epidemiology at Mount Kenya University in Nairobi.

"After my doctoral degree in medicine, I practiced as a medical doctor in a private hospital in Rwanda from where I was recruited as an African Union volunteer to fight against the Ebola Virus Disease in Guinea through the African Union Support to the Ebola Outbreak in West Africa, (ASEOWA).

Upon my return to the country, I was awarded a scholarship in Kenya where I continued my training for a specialization in field epidemiology for two years. I had become a medical epidemiologist. It was at this moment that I received an email from Africa CDC, asking for my availability. I was chosen because I worked hard as an ASEOWA volunteer. Having confirmed my availability, I was recruited as a volunteer to support the Congolese government in post Ebola surveillance activities. I accepted this mission firstly because it was an honor for me to serve again under the African Union flag and secondly because it was now a matter of lending a hand to my country which was hit for the eighth time by this murderous epidemic. I will continue to thank Africa CDC for responding to the call from the authorities of my country to support post-epidemic surveillance and to offer me the opportunity to serve as a volunteer to help my country fight against Ebola. I am proud to serve as an Africa CDC volunteer to help my country in the fight against Ebola”

Dr Alain Mukendi is part of the Africa CDC team based in Bondo, Likati Territory (Ebola Affected Area), in the Bas-Uélé province to support cross-border surveillance between the DRC, South Sudan and the Central African Republic and capacity building of local actors.