US Officials Have Former NBA Star Dikembe Mutombo Record Ebola Messages

Dikembe Mutombo, who is Congolese and an internationally famous retired sports star and philanthropist, worked with CDC to film a public service announcement (PSA) for Ebola to help communicate with the Congolese people.

thehill.com - by Chris Mills Rodrigo - June 24, 2019

U.S. officials are working with basketball Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo to help fight the recent Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

"I am speaking with you today because I care deeply about our country, and I need your help to stop the Ebola outbreak in the north part of the country. Ebola is real. The current outbreak is the country’s largest ever," Mutombo, who is from the DRC, says in a video posted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Spots were recorded in Kiswahili, French and Lingala.

(CLICK HERE - READ COMPLETE ARTICLE)

TRANSCRIPT (English):

Hello, I am Dikembe Mutombo. I am speaking with you today because I care deeply about our country, and I need your help to stop the Ebola outbreak in the north part of the country. Ebola is real. The current outbreak is the country’s largest ever. It is causing great harm to our families, our homes, and our communities.

Ebola has sickened too many Congolese people, and this number is increasing every day. More than 6 of every 10 of our brothers and sisters sick with Ebola have died, including many of our children. There is widespread community concern and mistrust about the attempts to control the outbreak, and many people believe their voices are not being heard.

Ebola is real, and the situation is challenging. But there is hope. We can stop Ebola if we all work together. Your support is vital to controlling the outbreak. Here are several things you can do to protect yourself and your loved ones.

Get treatment as quickly as possible. You have a better chance of surviving Ebola if you get medical care quickly.

Keep away from fluids of people who are sick with Ebola or who have died from it.

Allow safe and dignified burials for family members who have died Do not touch, kiss, clean, wash, or wrap the body.

If you are offered the vaccine, please accept it It could save your life.

The situation in our country is challenging. If we don’t act now, Ebola might spread further, killing hundreds or even thousands more people. But together, as the Congolese people and as a country acting united, we can stop Ebola.

CLICK HERE - CDC - Ebola Virus Disease - Dikembe Mutombo Ebola Public Service Announcement

CLICK HERE - U.S. turns to Mutombo to deliver Ebola message