Dr. Jean Marie Kashosi has been a doctor for 13 years, but for the past seven years he has been something of an Ebola specialist. When he joined International Medical Corps in 2019, the North Kivu and Ituri provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) were in the middle of an Ebola outbreak. Dr. Jean Marie worked in the Ebola Treatment Center (ETC) in Mangina in North Kivu province—which has since set the tone for his entire career with International Medical Corps.
“From that time up to now, whenever Ebola outbreaks occur, I am there on the frontlines,” he says.
After that Ebola outbreak ended in 2020, Dr. Jean Marie worked at a site in Mambasa. But during the next outbreak, later that year, he was back to battling Ebola, supervising an ETC in Équateur province. After that outbreak was declared over, he became a Nutrition and Health Supervisor and then a Senior Health Officer before once again responding to an Ebola outbreak—this time in Kasai province, from September 2025 to March 2026.
When the current outbreak was declared in May of this year in Ituri province, Dr. Jean Marie was the first International Medical Corps doctor on the ground, deploying within 72 hours of the declaration because of his experience on prior Ebola rapid-response teams. He represented International Medical Corps in coordination meetings with government entities and other NGOs, lobbying to build an ETC in Bunia, where he now works as Clinical Care Manager.
When that ETC opened, Dr. Jean Marie immediately began training doctors, nurses, nutritionists, psychologists, and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) staff on how to keep the ETC organized and functioning, as well as on clinical management of patients and on the infection-prevention and control protocols necessary to stay safe while working in an ETC.
“Because of the coaching and supervision I’m doing every day, I have seen my team significantly improve their skills. Now they are more confident in managing Ebola patients according to the protocols based on the practical experience gained in the field during previous epidemic responses,” he says. “I feel proud because even when I’m not in the ETC, I can be sure that everything will get done.”
The Pressure of the ETC
Working in an ETC through one Ebola outbreak is difficult enough, let alone multiple outbreaks. Dr. Jean Marie acknowledges that the stress of an ETC is intense but says it’s worth it. He’s passionate about treating patients in difficult environments.
“I’ve accepted the role of working in an ETC, so now I have to give the best of myself to see whether I can heal someone and ease the community’s pains,” he says. “But working every day in the ETC is not easy. It requires you to be strong, to be patient and to be in in good health yourself.”
As Clinical Care Manager, Dr. Jean Marie ensures a high quality of care for patients—but he also monitors the health and the well-being of the medical and WASH staff working in the ETC. For staff members who feel overwhelmed, our Mental Health and Psychosocial Support team provides training and resources.
Because Dr. Jean Marie has worked through so many Ebola outbreaks, he has encountered during day-to-day activities in his community about five patients whom he’s saved. They thank him and—if they’re with their families or friends—introduce him as the doctor who saved their lives.
“I feel proud to see that I have realized my mission of taking care of patients,” he says. “It’s a success story in my career as a doctor.”