Ebola Outbreak: Malteser International prepares initial measures
After the WHO (World Health Organization) declared an international health emergency, Malteser International staff in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are preparing to protect the population from the Ebola outbreak in the northeastern province of Ituri. “We are seeing the virus spread rapidly right now. More than 100 people have already died, and the number of unreported cases is likely to be significantly higher. Ebola is a disease that is easily transmitted through bodily fluids. That is why we will continue to expand the water supply in health centers and communities and distribute personal protective equipment to healthcare workers. At the border with Uganda, we will distribute disinfectants, gloves, masks, and soap and set up handwashing stations,” says Ludmila Lobkowicz, health expert at Malteser International.
In the DRC, 107 people have died in recent days, presumably from the so-called Bundibugyo variant of the Ebola virus. There is currently no vaccine against this pathogen, and the mortality rate is around 37 percent. More than 400 people have contracted the virus. The Ituri province has been plagued by armed conflict for years, with thousands of people fleeing their homes—a situation that facilitates the spread of the virus.
Following the first Ebola-related death in Uganda in recent days, Malteser International is also reviewing further measures at the border between Uganda and the DRC. “We can now begin providing initial aid. But to better protect people in the border region between the DRC and Uganda, we must significantly expand prevention efforts, strengthen cross-border cooperation, and provide targeted support to health systems. To do this, we urgently need additional financial resources,” says Kees Zevenbergen, Program Director at Malteser International.
Malteser International has been supporting people in the DR Congo since 1996, where more than 70 percent of the population lives in poverty. The staff primarily strengthen the local health system.
