Saturday, January 10, 2009

Democratic Republic of the Congo: Ebola Fever DREF Operation No. MDRCD006

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GLIDE No. EP-2009-000008-COD

The International Federation's Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) is a source of un-earmarked money created by the Federation in 1985 to ensure that immediate financial support is available for Red Cross and Red Crescent response to emergencies. The DREF is a vital part of the International Federation's disaster response system and increases the ability of national societies to respond to disasters.

CHF 146,404 (USD 132,205 or EUR 97,375) has been allocated from the Federation's Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) to support the Red Cross of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (RCDRC) in providing assistance to some 15,000 beneficiaries (people affected by the Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever in the Mweka health zones of the Western Kasai province). Un-earmarked funds to repay DREF are encouraged.

Summary: An Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever outbreak has been declared in the Mweka health zones following the death of a parturient, her baby and the person who accompanied them to the hospital. Studies have revealed that all three persons died of the same disease as they presented the same symptoms: bloody diarrhea. Even the nurse who attended to those departed persons is presently showing the same signs, though alive. The situation as of 2nd January 2009 was as follows: 40 cases registered in one month, including 28 female cases. So far, 13 persons have died of the disease and 173 cases are being monitored. Since the outbreak occurred, the RCDRC volunteers who acquired experience during the 2007 Ebola operation in neighboring localities have been deployed in Mweka to sensitize the populations to the dangers of the disease and to help transfer patients with Ebola signs to isolation centers, as well as bury corpses in a safe manner. This DREF will enable the national society to provide assistance to affected persons in the areas of Emergency relief and non-food items (NFI) distribution, water and sanitation (WATSAN), Hygiene promotion and Capacity building.

This operation is expected to be implemented over 3 months, and will therefore be completed by 7 April, 2009; a Final Report will be made available three months after the end of the operation (by 7 July, 2009).

The situation

The Western Kasai Provincial Health Inspectorate informed the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Public Health Ministry on 27 November 2008 that there are suspected cases of the Ebola hemorrhagic Fever in the Mweka health zone. In fact, the Mweka health zone physician-in-chief reporting to the Minister of Public Health revealed that an Ebola epidemic is hitting Kaluamba, a neighboring area to Kampungu that was affected by the same disease in August 2007. The reporter also described an outbreak of diarrhea epidemic in children under 5 years in neighboring Buena-Lueka on 8 December 2008.

On the 48th week of 2008, a parturient died of postpartum hemorrhage in a health centre. Her baby and the person who accompanied them to the hospital also died of bloody diarrhea. Even the nurse who attended to those departed persons is presently showing the same signs, though alive. The situation as of 2nd January, 2009 was as follows: 40 cases registered in one month, including 28 female cases. Out of the 40 cases, 13 are below the age of 15, while 25 are above 15 and the age of 2 patients is yet to be determined. So far, 13 persons have died of the disease and 173 cases are being monitored. A patient has been isolated. Six new alarms have been sounded, on the basis of 5 in the Western Kasai province (4 in Kampungu and 1 in Kanaga), and 1 in the Katanga province (Lubumbashi), and investigations are underway to confirm the epidemic in these localities. The following diagram highlights the present evolution of the disease:

Full_Report (pdf* format - 1.2 Mbytes)

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