Nairobi—Fifty-year-old Milton Oloo has worked as a cargo loading agent at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, Kenya for the last 30 years. Although he handles several tonnes of cargo daily, every now and again a memorable load comes his way.  

It was the case with the shipment of cargo from World Health Organization (WHO)’s Emergency Preparedness and Response hub in Nairobi, Kenya, on 20 May 2026.  

The hub has shipped 11 tonnes of health emergency supplies and equipment from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport directly to Bunia in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where an outbreak of Ebola disease outbreak caused by Bundibugyo virus was declared on 15 May 2026.  

Oloo has been part of the team that has loaded two consignments: an initial five tonnes followed two days later by another six tonnes.

“I need to ensure that the cargo leaving for the Democratic Republic of the Congo is well taken care of and loaded in a clear way so that it may not be damaged,” says Oloo.

The consignment included personal protective equipment, case management kits and supplies to facilitate safe and dignified burials. These supplies save lives and protect health workers, family and community members.

Oloo’s careful and considerate handling of the cargo is his way of expressing solidarity with people affected by this disease outbreak.  

“The cargo should reach the Democratic Republic of the Congo safely in order to save lives of the people living there,” he says. “When a life is saved, I also feel happy.”