Aug 1, 2014 – Los Angeles, Calif. - An unprecedented outbreak of Ebola virus in West Africa has spread to 4 countries claiming at least 729 lives among 1,323 reported cases (WHO). To date, cases of Ebola have been confirmed in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone where International Medical Corps has been delivering humanitarian support since 1999. In addition, the Ministry of Health of Nigeria has reported the first probable case of Ebola in the country last week.
The National Ministry of Health and partners in Sierra Leone believe that vulnerable communities in the country stand a high risk of contracting the disease given the prevalence of cross border activities between Sierra Leone and Guinea. What’s more, a lack of information or education on Ebola among vulnerable populations is leading to the increased risk of infected people not seeking critical health services to treat and prevent the spread of the disease.
In response, International Medical Corps is providing house-to-house Ebola sensitization in vulnerable communities alongside the Kailahun District Health Management Team and other partners. We are also actively participating in Ebola Task force meetings with WHO and other partners and providing logistical support to the Ministry of Health for health education and awareness raising. Our local team remains in contact with district health authorities, and is in close communication with the Emergency Health Coordinator on additional preparedness and response measures, initially in Sierra Leone and potentially in Liberia. In addition, as part of our potential scale-up efforts, International Medical Corps is looking to incorporate specific training for health care providers and provision of personal protective equipment.
There has been a lack of funding for the Ebola response, both for treatment and prevention. This needs to change because International Medical Corps believes this should not be seen as a West African issue but a global issue.
The state of emergency declared by the Sierra Leone government on July 31, 2014 has the potential to change the operational context of the country and International Medical Corps staff continue to evaluate how to tailor our response in order to best meet the needs of affected populations.
EBOLA*
Ebola is a severe acute viral illness often characterized by the sudden onset of fever, intense weakness, muscle pain, headache and sore throat. This is followed by vomiting, diarrhea, rash, impaired kidney and liver function, and in some cases, both internal and external bleeding.
Ebola is introduced into the human population through close contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected animals. Ebola then
spreads in the community through human-to-human transmission, with infection resulting from direct contact (through broken skin or mucous membranes) with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected people, and indirect contact with environments contaminated with such fluids.
spreads in the community through human-to-human transmission, with infection resulting from direct contact (through broken skin or mucous membranes) with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected people, and indirect contact with environments contaminated with such fluids.
No vaccine for Ebola is available. Several vaccines are being tested, but none are available for clinical use. Severely ill patients require intensive supportive care. Patients are frequently dehydrated and require oral rehydration with solutions containing electrolytes or intravenous fluids.
https://internationalmedicalcorps.org/imc/_pressreleases/2014_7_28_pr_sierra-leone_ebola-update?gclid=COOMyJql9L8CFRYPjgod-4wAyA#.U9yy1uOSy1U
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