@WHO has confirmed that the Ebola outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo virus in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, but not a pandemic. This underscores the need for urgent, coordinated action, without triggering global panic.
Consequently,
@WHO has recommended the following measures for immediate implementation in Uganda and the DRC:
✓Activate emergency response systems and establish strong coordination through national and local operations centres. Key actions include enhanced surveillance, contact tracing, testing, infection prevention, and effective patient care. Collaboration with partners remains critical if national systems become overwhelmed.
✓Engage communities actively by working with local leaders, faith groups, and traditional healers to raise awareness, build trust, and promote early care-seeking. Respectfully addressing cultural beliefs is essential to interrupt transmission.
✓Strengthen surveillance systems across affected and at-risk areas, including monitoring community deaths and expanding decentralized laboratory testing capacity.
✓Improve infection prevention and control (IPC) in health facilities by training staff on proper PPE use and ensuring health workers are protected, supported, and adequately resourced.
✓Ensure timely referral of suspected cases to specialized treatment units equipped to provide high-quality supportive care close to outbreak epicentres.
✓Sustain research efforts, including clinical trials for vaccines and therapeutics, with continued global collaboration and support.
✓Reinforce screening measures at borders and along major internal routes to prevent further spread, ensuring confirmed cases do not travel and that contacts are monitored and restricted from international travel for 21 days.
✓Implement screening at airports and border entry points, focusing on early detection of potential Ebola cases.
✓Consider postponing mass gatherings where necessary to reduce the risk of transmission.
Ensure safe and dignified burials, conducted by trained teams in line with public health guidance while respecting cultural practices.
✓Strengthen logistics and supply systems to guarantee the consistent availability of PPE, medical equipment, and laboratory supplies.
✓Promote a coordinated, community-driven, and well-resourced response, which remains essential to effectively contain Ebola and protect lives.
#Ebola #PHEIC