10/06/2026
Bishop Michael, who is a co-convenor of the Anglican Health and Community Network, has had a letter to the Times published today on the subject of tackling Ebola.
He writes:
Sir, If the international community is to counter the threat of Ebola it must both invest in, and pivot towards, the systems that communities already rely on (“Hospitals can’t protect us from Ebola. It’s safer not to go”, news, Jun 1).
When I visited the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2019 with Justin Welby, I witnessed how local church networks provided in many cases the only bedrock of resilience in areas torn apart by war. In such communities, local churches and their organisations (such as the Mothers’ Union) are trusted, permanent neighbours. This uniquely equips them to dismantle misinformation, preach a message of fact-based hope and extend a compassionate, faith-based safety net to track and care for displaced populations and encourage the take-up of medical care.
If we are to choose what Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organisation, calls the “courageous path” of peace, we must accept that global health security is national security. True defence requires investing in local, faith-based networks capable of fighting the conditions — conflict, poverty and displacement — that allow a deadly virus to thrive.
The Right Rev Dr Michael Beasley
Bishop of Bath and Wells, and co-convenor of the Anglican Health and Community Network.
If you want to join us in praying for all those affected by this crisis, there are some helpful prayer resources available on the Tearfund website.
A guide for individuals, churches and groups to pray for those affected by the Ebola outbreak.
