WHO officials said an assessment of availability for Guinea’s neighbors has shown gaps in their preparation for the Ebola outbreak.
World Health Organization officials say the risk of an Ebola outbreak spreading to Guinea’s neighbors is “very high” and that some of these countries are unprepared for vaccination campaigns.
WHO Representative in Guinea Georges Alfred Ki-Zerbo said in a virtual briefing on Friday that 18 cases of Ebola had been identified so far and that four of those infected had died.
To date, 1,604 people have been vaccinated against Ebola in Guinea’s new outbreak, the first outbreak of the virus there from an outbreak in 2013-2016 – the worst in the world – that has spread to several other West African countries. and killed more than 11,300 people.
The Ebola virus causes severe vomiting and diarrhea and spreads through contact with body fluids.
Officials said an availability assessment for Guinea’s neighbors – Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone and Liberia – showed gaps in their readiness.
“There are six neighboring countries in Guinea and we have carried out an availability assessment. Two of the countries are unprepared, one is on the border and there are three countries more or less prepared, “WHO’s regional emergency director, Abdou Salam Gueye, said in a video conference in Guinea.
He said that none of the neighboring countries is fully prepared to start Ebola vaccinations, if necessary, and that there are not enough doses of vaccines available under any circumstances to start preventive vaccination.
“But those neighboring countries have agreed on cross-border cooperation and coordination to control the outbreak,” he said.
Ebola vaccines, like some COVID-19 photos, require ultra-cold chain storage, which presents logistical challenges. Guinea received doses of COVID-19 vaccine donated from China this week.
“We are dealing with rather fragile health systems, including the (lack) of the ability to meet many public health challenges, so dealing with both COVID and Ebola remains a challenge,” said Michel Yao. WHO Director of Strategic Health Operations.
“We need to act fast”
Separately, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) on Thursday launched a call to raise $ 8 million for efforts to stop the recurrence of the Ebola virus in Guinea.
The funds will be used to support key outbreak preparedness and response activities, as well as critical coordination efforts at national and prefectural levels and key border crossings, the United Nations said in a statement.
“We have witnessed the devastation that a delayed action in case of a public health emergency can do to a community and societies in general,” said Maximilian Diaz, head of IOM Guinea.
“We must stand by the people of Guinea and act quickly.”