By Kelli Maddock | Resource Development Officer
Right next door to South Sudan, the second largest Ebola Outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) made world news over the past summer with the World Health Organization’s declaration of a “Public Health Emergency of International Concern” in response to the recent transmission across country lines into Uganda — meaning that the current Ebola crisis now constitutes an international public health risk and requires a coordinated, broad-based global response.
As part of internationally coordinated efforts, International Medical Corps trains healthcare workers on Ebola preparedness using a curriculum developed in coordination with the World Health Organization in both the DRC and South Sudan, and in Burundi with the Centers for Disease Control. Fears based on rumors and inaccurate information can prevent health workers from being able to deliver vaccinations and identify possible new cases of infection.
Since 1976, the DRC has experienced ten Ebola outbreaks with the number of cases ranging from only one, to the current outbreak, which has recorded a total of 3,264 cases and 2,181 associated deaths as of October 28, 2019. In the DRC, our lifesaving work includes critical services ranging from screening, training and treatment, to contact tracing and community engagement led by local healthcare workers. Trained volunteer community health workers are particularly instrumental in fighting misinformation and rumors that impede efforts to prevent the spread of Ebola.
In South Sudan, International Medical Corps is supporting the Ministry of Health as it prepares for a potential Ebola outbreak. Seven midwifery and nursing students, along with their eight tutors from Kajo Keji Health Sciences Institute (KKHSI), Juba College of Nursing and Midwifery (JCONAM) and Wau Health Sciences Institute (WHSI) joined the fight against transmission and misinformation by participating in our Ebola Preparedness training in July 2019. During this training they learned the case definition of the disease and approaches to Ebola case management and proper infection prevention and control, and practiced donning and doffing personal protective equipment.
Following the training, the tutors promoted awareness of the Ebola virus during their classes. In fact, two of the eight tutors went even further and attended the Ebola Preparedness Training of the Trainers course to teach others; these tutors are therefore not only equipped to host workshops for their students at JCONAM and KKHSI, but they are now also certified to host similar trainings with healthcare workers in South Sudan, should it ever be needed.
International Medical Corps’ students and tutors can continue to be a part of the internationally coordinated effort to fight against the Ebola Virus with the generous support of the GlobalGiving community and other donors.
Follow the link for more information about International Medical Corps’ work with Ebola in the DRC: https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/emergency-response-to-ebola-in-the-democratic-repu/
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