Ebola Outbreak: Epidemiologists, Laboratory Experts Deployed To Congo

25 Epidemiologists, laboratory experts, and anthropologist have been deployed to Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

This development is an effort to control the outbreak of the Ebola virus in Mbandaka and Bikoro as announced on 8 May 2018 by the government of DRC.

Following the announcement, Africa CDC deployed an assessment mission within 2 days and activated an Emergency Operational Centre to link, scan and monitor the situation.

Director of the Africa CDC, Dr John Nkengasong said, “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 expeditiously.

‘’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 leadership.’’

The team assisted the Ministry of Health, together with other partners, in three key factors identified as surveillance and contact tracing, defining the various health areas affected, and laboratory testing and network.

Meanwhile being the 9th outbreak of the virus in the country over the last 4 decades, the affected Bikoro area which covers 1 075 km and has a population of 163 065 inhabitants has just 3 hospitals and 19 health centres to support the crises, most of which have lost their functionality.

The Africa CDC sole responsibility is factored to supports all African countries in improving surveillance, emergency response, and prevention of infectious diseases.

It further seeks to build a capacity to reduce disease burden on the continent.