DR Congo doctor prepares for latest in long line of health crises

Health professionals working with the World Health Organization (WHO) in eastern Democratic of Congo (DRC), have been dealing with the deadly Ebola epidemic since August 2018. This experience is helping them to prepare for the latest disease to arrive: COVID-19.

New cases of Ebola have been reported in Beni since 10 April, resulting in two deaths, despite earlier hopes that the disease had been eradicated in the country. As well as Ebola, the population of DRC is also having to deal with malaria, measles and cholera as well as ongoing insecurity, which is partly why health workers trying to vaccinate locals against Ebola have faced mistrust, and even violence.

“Unfortunately, we have been fighting some resistance regarding the new cases: the community did not believe that they were Ebola cases, which is making life difficult for our workers on the ground. But we are doing our best to communicate with them, and convince anyone who has been in contact with the patients to get themselves vaccinated,” said doctor Abdourahmane Diallo, who heads up the WHO Ebola vaccination programme in DRC.

WHO was planning to close the treatment centres, but now, with cases of Ebola, and cases of COVID-19, that has changed.

As of now, social distancing has begun; the authorities have closed the night clubs, and even in the markets, people are trying to stay at least one metre apart.

“Disinformation has been a problem. People have been saying that certain drugs can be used to vaccinate against COVID-19, which is not true. We explain that there is no vaccine against the virus, and trials are still ongoing. That message is beginning to get through, and we are continuing to vaccinate against Ebola,” Dr. Diallo added. 

It is very important that we keep going back to the community, as many times as necessary, to get the message across. Sometimes, this means going back to the community five or six times in one day.

Original source: UN News
Published on 16 April 2020