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Showing posts with label Ebola. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ebola. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 22, 2018

Ebola outbreak: Africa CDC deploys experts to DRC

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) is deploying 25 epidemiologists, laboratory experts, and anthropologists to support the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) efforts to control the recent Ebola virus outbreak in Mbandaka and Bikoro, reports NaijaAgroNet.

This, NaijaAgroNet gathered, followed the announcement on 8 May 2018 of the Ebola outbreak by the government of DRC.

According to Africa CDC, the deployment follows an assessment mission within 48 hours and activated Emergency Operational Centre to link, scan and monitor the situation.

“The global community needs to respond to this outbreak as a crisis and not as an emergency, by quickly deploying public health assets to the affected areas expiditiously”. I want to applaud the Minister of Health of the DRC for his exemplary leadership in managing this current outbreak so far. “All our efforts should be geared towards supporting his leadrship” said Dr. John Nkengasong, the Director of the Africa CDC, upon his return this week, with a high level delegation, to the affected areas in Mbandaka and Bikoro.

The DRC government is working with partners to improve coordination mechanisms, enhance surveillance, laboratory confirmation, contact identification and follow-up, case management, infection prevention and control, safe and dignified burials, social mobilisation and community engagement, logistics, risk communication, vaccination, partner engagement, research and resource mobilisation.

During the Africa CDC team’s visits they assisted the Ministry of Health, together with other partners,  to develop three strategies: a) surveillance and contact tracing, b) Defining the various health areas affected, and c) laboratory testing and network. The Africa CDC will provide up to USD 2 million to support Africa CDC interventions. Due to the remote nature of the Equateur Province, it is expected that more efforts will need to be put in supply chain issues to ensure that essential items needed are delivered swiftly.

Last week the African Union Peace and Security Council was briefed on the situation and will continue to receive reports.  Under Article 6(f) relating to its mandate with regard to humanitarian action and disaster management the Council can authorise deployment of military and civilian missions and assets to tackle emergency situations as it did in August 2014 in the Ebola outbreak in the West Africa sub-region. This outbreak is the 9th outbreak of the Ebola virus disease over the last 4 decades in the country.
NaijaAgroNet also gathered that the affected health area of Bikoro covers 1 075 km and has a population of 163 065 inhabitants. This huge population is supported by only 3 hospitals and 19 health centres, most of which have limited functionality. 


The risk of speard of the virus is high at national and regional levels due in part to the proximity of the epidemic focus to the Congo River which links with the capitals of the Republic of Congo and the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic. As such, Africa CDC is coordinating with these countries to ensure that their surveillance systems are activated and information is shared in real time.

Isaac Oyimah/GEE

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Monday, April 20, 2015

Taking healthcare delivery to another level through ICT

 NaijaAgroNet

The African Network for Drugs and Diagnostics Innovation (ANDI) – a pan African initiative hosted by the United Nations in Addis Ababa recently highlighted Nigerian example in containment of Ebola and emphasized the role of technology in transforming health care delivery and Ebola research and development, NaijaAgroNet reports

Executive Director of ANDI, Dr. Solomon Nwaka said that the meeting recommended that the Nigerian approach to Ebola outbreak be written and publicized broadly, as a model for future outbreaks or emergent infections.

The establishment of a properly resourced Ebola emergency operation centre by the Nigerian government under the Nigerian Center for Disease Control of the ministry of health as well as a strong coordination of efforts with functional public and private diagnostic laboratories, NaijaAgroNet gathered, was important to this success.

“Ongoing development of diagnostics and surveillance tools for Ebola in Nigeria and Uganda as well as the pioneering work of the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) Abuja on the development of NIPRISAN from local traditional medicines for the management of Sickle Cell Anaemia, were examples of technologies discussed at the ANDI event, Nwaka stated.

According to information made available to NaijaAgroNet, experts agreed that the containment of Ebola is one of the most noted public health crackdowns in the largest African country and this serves as a model for the rest of the world.

NaijaAgroNet further learnt that recognizing Nigeria’s successful response to Ebola, according to the health professionals, is an indication that with same commitments and adequate preparations, the clamour for functional health and innovation system is attainable.

Cyriacus Nnaji/ GEE

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Monday, February 23, 2015

16,600 children lost parents to Ebola in West Africa - UNICEF

+Naija AgroNet:

The United Nations United Nations Children's Fund has revealed that no fewer than 16,600 children have been registered as having lost one or both parents or primary healthcare-givers to Ebola in three countries within the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS), reports NaijaAgroNet.

The affected countries, UNICEF confirmed to NaijaAgroNet include Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

According to the UNICEF’s Regional Director for West and Central Africa, Mr Manuel Fontaine in New York penultimate Friday, said less than three per cent of this population has had to be placed outside family or community care.

“Since overcoming their initial fears and misconceptions about Ebola virus, families have been showing incredible support, providing care and protection for children whose parents have died. This shows the strength of kinship ties and the extraordinary resilience of communities at a time of great hardship,’’ he said.

UNICEF said as of mid-January, nearly 3,600 children had lost both parents to Ebola virus in the three countries, while 16,600 were registered as having lost one or both parents.

NaijaAgroNet also gathered from the regional director that the disease affected primary healthcare-givers.

He pointed out that UNICEF was helping to identify children without parents or caregivers with the view to providing immediate care and protection to them.

In Guinea, he said for example that UNICEF gathered that all 773 children who lost both parents have been placed with their extended families.

@IsaacOyimah with additional report byNews Agency of Nigeria   +Naija AgroNet @unicef

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