Monthly Overview - July 2015

Due to its expertise in logistics, engineering and telecommunications, WFP has been requested to provide dedicated Common Services to the Ebola Response. All activities are being implemented under Special Operation 200773

Common Services in Numbers (as of 02 August 2015)

Overall requirements: US$ 205 million

• UNHAS:22,290passengers &170mt of lightcargo transportedwithin the affected areas
• UNHRD:2,244mtof relief itemsdispatchedfrom UNHRDdepots to Ebola Affected Countries (EACs)
• ET Cluster:providedinternet connectivity to over 3,300humanitarian responders

The Logistics Clusterfacilitated across Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia (since 4 September 2014)**:
- The transportation of over 107,600 m3 of cargo on behalf of 103 organisations
- The storage of over 157,700m3of cargo on behalf of over 77organisations

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania | Thursday 8/13/2015 - 12:59 GMT

The United Nations in Tanzania called for calm Thursday saying it was "highly unlikely" a Burundian refugee who died after bleeding from his eyes and ears had Ebola.

World Health Organization (WHO) experts have examined the death of the man on August 10, after he fell sick in a Burundian refugee camp in Tanzania's northwestern Kigoma region.

"It is highly unlikely that he had Ebola, as review of the case by WHO shows that it does not meet the standard case definition for the disease," WHO and the UN refugee agency UNHCR said in a statement. "However, precautions have been taken and continue."

Tanzanian health ministry spokesman Nsachris Mwamwaja said tests were ongoing but initial results showed he "died from other causes".

The man, who was sent to Kigoma hospital with "bleeding gums, eyes and ears" on Sunday before dying the next day, had sparked fears of an outbreak of the virus, the statement read.

"UNHCR is aware that this situation has caused serious concern," UNHCR chief in Tanzania Joyce Mends-Cole said, appealing for "patience and calm" until final test results were made.

The UN said the man had not left the region on the east side of Africa for three years and had no contact with anyone who may have been in countries affected with Ebola in west Africa.

"All those in contact with the deceased have been isolated and none have shown similar symptoms to those of the deceased," the statement added.

Ebola has claimed around 11,300 lives since late 2013. More than 99 percent of these occurred in the three west African countries, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, according to WHO.

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© 1994-2015 Agence France-Presse

United Nations, United States | AFP | Thursday 8/13/2015 - 15:51 GMT

The Ebola epidemic in West Africa could be completely over by the end of the year if efforts to root out new cases are kept up, the WHO chief said Thursday.

World Health Organization director Margaret Chan cautioned there could be setbacks in the coming months but said Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone could begin 2016 completely Ebola-free.

"If the current intensity of case detection and contact tracing is sustained, the virus could be soundly defeated by the end of this year," Chan told the United Nations Security Council.

"That means getting to zero and staying at zero," she said during a special meeting on the disease.

Around 11,300 people have died from Ebola since late 2013 in the world's worst outbreak of the often fatal illness that began in Guinea and spread to neighboring Sierra Leone and Liberia.

Liberia, the hardest-hit country, was declared Ebola-free in May, but six new cases last month raised fears that the virus had not been completely beaten back.

Chan said that new cases in Liberia had again stopped and only three cases per week had been reported in Guinea and Sierra Leone over the past two weeks.

This represents the lowest numbers seen in well over a year, she said.

Earlier this month, the medical aid group Doctors Without Borders (MSF), which has been on the frontlines of the Ebola battle, warned that the epidemic was by no means over.

"The Ebola epidemic in West Africa is far from under control," according to Joanne Liu, who heads MSF.

Cases are still reported weekly, new communities are being infected and bodies are being buried in secret -- a major problem for a disease transmitted though contact with body fluids, she wrote in the science journal Nature.

The WHO chief cautioned against "a false sense of security," warning that a single undetected case can ignite a major flare-up.

Chan stressed that 13,000 survivors of the outbreak were struggling with long-term complications such as severe joint pains and visual impairments that can lead to blindness.

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© 1994-2015 Agence France-Presse

13 août 2015 – A l'occasion d'une réunion du Conseil de sécurité de l'ONU consacrée aux efforts pour lutter contre l'épidémie d'Ebola en Afrique de l'Ouest, la Directrice générale de l'Organisation mondiale de la Santé (OMS), Dr. Margaret Chan, a estimé jeudi que la fin de cette épidémie était possible si les efforts de lutte se poursuivent avec l'intensité actuelle.

« Il n'y a plus de nouveaux cas au Libéria. La Guinée et la Sierra Leone ont signalé seulement trois cas lors de chacune des deux dernières semaines, soit les chiffres les plus faibles depuis plus d'un an », a dit Dr. Chan lors d'un exposé par téléconférence devant les membres du Conseil.

« Cela représente une différence énorme par rapport à la situation il y a moins d'un an. Je peux vous assurer que les progrès sont réels et qu'ils ont été durement gagnés », a-t-elle ajouté.

Selon elle, « si l'intensité actuelle en matière de détection de cas et de recherche des contacts est maintenue, le virus peut être vaincu d'ici la fin de cette année. Cela veut dire arriver à zéro et rester à zéro » cas d'Ebola.

La chef de l'OMS a toutefois prévenu qu'il fallait rester prudent, alors qu'un seul cas non détecté peut déclencher une nouvelle série de contaminations.

« On peut s'attendre à de nouvelles rechutes, comme celle qu'a connu le Libéria à la fin du mois de juin », a-t-elle souligné.

Pour prévenir à l'avenir une épidémie de la sorte, Margaret Chan a noté que la plupart des experts sont d'accord pour dire que le manque d'infrastructures sanitaires publiques constitue la plus grande vulnérabilité.

Elle s'est félicitée de l'initiative de l'Union africaine et des Centres américains de contrôle et de prévention des maladies pour établir conjointement un système de contrôle des maladies transmissibles pour aider les pays africains à mieux se préparer aux épidémies.

Elle a ajouté que l'OMS préparait de son côté un programme pour le développement rapide de nouveaux produits médicaux pour toute éventuelle épidémie à l'avenir.

« Le monde a tiré les leçons de l'expérience d'Ebola », a conclu la chef de l'OMS, ajoutant qu'elle supervisait personnellement les réformes au sein de son agence.

L'Envoyé spécial du Secrétaire général sur Ebola, Dr. David Nabarro, a souligné pour sa part devant les membres du Conseil que l'épidémie d'Ebola en Afrique de l'Ouest n'était pas terminée.

« Il y a toujours besoin d'une solidarité technique, opérationnelle et financière avec ceux qui travaillent dur dans les pays affectés », a-t-il dit. « Les personnes qui ont survécu à Ebola ont besoin d'un soutien spécifique » pour reconstruire leur vie et affronter la stigmatisation, a-t-il ajouté.

Le Dr. Nabarro a appelé la communauté internationale à rester vigilante. « Les années à venir verront de nouvelles éruptions inattendues de la maladie : nous ne savons pas où, quand, ni comment elles frapperont », a-t-il prévenu.

Dr Margaret Chan, WHO Director-General

New York, New York, USA, 13 August 2015

Distinguished members of the Security Council, ladies and gentlemen,

Much has changed since I briefed the Security Council on the Ebola outbreak in September of last year.

The dire situation at that time rallied an unprecedented response by the international community and by individual governments, who brought in military expertise, medical teams, critical equipment and supplies, and considerable financial resources.

That generous surge of support had an impact. Surveillance and response capacities have vastly improved.

We have a very good picture of current chains of transmission, and know how to break them. Full genome sequencing of viruses can be done within 48 hours of case detection, giving clues for the detective work of tracing the origins of each and every single case.

New cases in Liberia have again stopped. Guinea and Sierra Leone have together reported only three cases during each of the past two weeks, representing the lowest numbers seen in well over a year.

This is a night-and-day difference from the situation less than a year ago. I can assure you: the progress is real, and it has been hard-earned.

Most credit for this progress goes to unwavering leadership at the highest level of government.

At the same time, I must caution against a false sense of security. All it takes is a single undetected case in a health facility, one infected contact fleeing the monitoring system, or one unsafe burial to ignite a flare-up of cases.

Further setbacks, such as the one experienced by Liberia at the end of June, can be expected.

We are very grateful to Liberia for reporting that setback immediately and mounting such an impressive response.

International organizations continue to support national efforts, with several thousand specialists working alongside national staff in villages and towns as well as in the capital cities.

If the current intensity of case detection and contact tracing is sustained, the virus can be soundly defeated by the end of this year. That means going to zero and staying at zero.

Fears that the virus could become permanently established in humans in this part of Africa have receded. This is also very good news.

The outbreak, by far the largest, longest, and most severe ever known, shook the world and challenged the international community, crying out for the most powerful possible response.

They asked for something we had never done before.

And What explains the scale and duration of the outbreak? What allowed the virus to rage out of control?

What are the vulnerabilities that might let similar, or even worse, events threaten the world? What specific preparedness measures can prevent their occurrence?

Most agree that the lack of public health capacities and infrastructures created the greatest vulnerability.

The concept note, prepared by Nigeria, thank you for that to guide this session, documents the importance of regional arrangements.

Strengthening these arrangements is a good place to start, especially when it improves vigilance and increases the surge capacity needed for a very rapid response.

Innovative regional and sub-regional initiatives have a critical role to play. WHO offers its full support, backed by the provisions in the International Health Regulations.

Decentralized international organizations like WHO and others, with its regional and country offices, and its networks of collaborating laboratories and centers, provide strong platforms for coordinated technical support and capacity building.

The African Union and the CDC are jointly establishing a Communicable Disease Control system that will help African nations be better prepared for outbreaks.

The first step later this year will be the establishment of an African Surveillance and Response unit, which will include an emergency operations centre and workforce.

This will help African nations to participate fully in the International Health Regulations. The IHR have been agreed by all nations and provide the bedrock for safeguarding security in the face of disease threats.

West African nations have dealt bravely and boldly with the outbreak, receiving magnificent support from across Africa. They have shown how the right kind of health care greatly increases the prospect that people with Ebola will survive. They have analyzed the health and social needs of around 13,000 survivors, who experience long-term complications ranging from tiredness and severe joint pains, to visual impairments that can lead to blindness.

They have mounted a vaccine clinical trial in Guinea, and early results have been extremely encouraging. Public acceptance of the trial has been very good.

We have learned the importance of listening to the concerns of communities and winning their trust and cooperation. We will continue with the studies and mobilize funding for rapid deployment once the vaccine is approved by regulators

As a contribution to Ebola’s legacy of preparedness, WHO is putting together a blueprint. A blueprint for the rapid development of new medical products for any future outbreak.

Next month, WHO, the US CDC, and the national counterparts will evaluate the performance of three rapid point-of-care diagnostic tests. If the results are good, this innovation will be another important contribution outbreak containment and preparedness for the future. Right now, rapid screening of patients for high-risk procedures, such as those in maternity and surgical wards, helps restore confidence in the safety of health facilities for patients and health professionals alike.

This is part of recovery.

The Ebola outbreak in West Africa shocked the world out of its complacency about the infectious disease threat. We witnessed the decisive role of vigilance and readiness in countries that experienced an imported case.

All responded to that imported case as an urgent national emergency and stopped onward transmission or held it to just a handful of cases.

The world has learned from the Ebola experience.

Ladies and gentlemen I am personally overseeing reforms in WHO that include the establishment of a global health emergency workforce, an operational platform that can shift into high gear very quickly, performance benchmarks that show exactly what we mean by “high gear”, and the funding needed to make this happen.

Let me once again thank all Member States and the United Nations System for their consistent personnel, financial, logistical, and political support for this vital transformation.

Thank you.

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Security Council
Meetings Coverage

Ebola could be “soundly defeated” by the end of the year if the intensity of case detection and contact tracing was sustained, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) told the Security Council today, outlining reforms to improve the organization’s performance and crediting unwavering leadership, especially in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone, for a “night-and-day” difference in the situation from less than a year ago.

Margaret Chan, briefing the Council via video link from Hong Kong, was joined by David Nabarro, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General on Ebola; Tété António, Permanent Observer of the African Union to the United Nations; Per Thöresson (Sweden), on behalf of Olof Skoog, Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission; and Mosoka Fallah, Director of the Community-Based Initiative.

“I can assure you: the progress is real and it has been hard-earned,” said Ms. Chan, stressing that surveillance and response capacities had vastly improved. New cases in Liberia had again stopped, while Guinea and Sierra Leone had together reported only three cases during the past two weeks, the lowest numbers in more than a year.

At the same time, she cautioned against a false sense of security, as all it took was one undetected case in a health facility, one infected contact fleeing the monitoring system or unsafe burial to ignite a flare-up. Success hinged on “getting to zero and staying at zero”. Most agreed that the lack of public health capacities and infrastructures created the greatest vulnerability to Ebola.

With that in mind, the WHO was designing a blueprint for the rapid development of new medical products for a future outbreak, and next month, would evaluate with the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention the performance of three rapid point-of-care diagnostic tests. At the WHO, she was overseeing the creation of a global health emergency work force, a fast-acting operational platform, as well as performance benchmarks and the funding needed to make those changes happen. “The world has learned from the Ebola experience,” she said.

Speaking from Geneva, Mr. Nabarro said implementation of the United Nations response “went well” when people at risk felt in control of their lives and when community leaders took part in directing the response, defining the support they required and accessing the necessary assistance. In practice, the response had not consistently prioritized community ownership, which was now understood to be an essential ingredient. Going forward, he urged technical, operational and financial solidarity with the affected counties.

Broadly agreeing, Mr. Antonio said the speedy deployment of human resources was critical. It had taken less than four weeks for the African Union’s support initiative to be deployed. Flexibility also was important in clearly defining a support strategy, but not dictating terms. Partnership, in particular with the African private sector, was also critical in the spirit of Africa helping Africans. The Union’s convening power and political leverage had brought together technical expertise from 18 Member States, non-governmental organizations, Africans in the Diaspora and others.

In that context, Mr. Fallah shared an “historic” lesson from the West Point slum in Liberia, where distrust of the Government ran high and hid the sick. “We realized that, if we were going to win the fight against Ebola, we needed to involve the community.” Within two weeks, there had been a dramatic change, and the project was asked to replicate the experiment in other areas. The idea was to create trust and empower communities.

When the floor was opened for debate, Council members agreed on the need for vigilance and “relentless” work to bring Ebola transmission to zero. The virus would exploit the slightest delay in the collective response. While weak public institutions and health systems required sustained international support, the primary responsibility for the care, safety and health of people rested with the political leadership, many agreed.

“The heaviest burden falls on us,” said Sierra Leone’s representative, noting that his country would look to others with fully developed systems that could be adapted to local conditions. It also would listen to the lessons learned from its communities: that anything done in their name must fully reflect local cultures and values. Logistical, scientific and diplomatic efforts must be in harmony, and institutional siloes must operate as one. “We are all committed to seeing the back of this disease,” he said.

Also speaking today were the representatives of the Russian Federation, United States, Chad, France, Angola, Chile, Jordan, China, United Kingdom, Spain, Lithuania, Venezuela, Malaysia, New Zealand and Nigeria.

The meeting began at 10:05 a.m. and ended at 12:56 p.m.

14 AUGUST 2015 ¦ GENEVA – Ahead of World Humanitarian Day, WHO is drawing attention to continued attacks on health staff and health facilities. In 2014 alone, WHO received reports of 372 attacks in 32 countries on health workers, resulting in 603 deaths and 958 injuries, while similar incidents have been recorded this year.

“WHO is committed to saving lives and reducing suffering in times of crisis. Attacks against health care workers and facilities are flagrant violations of international humanitarian law. Health workers have an obligation to treat the sick and injured without discrimination. All parties to conflict must respect that obligation,” says Dr Margaret Chan, WHO Director-General.

In a new initiative to honour health workers, WHO will launch an online platform to recognise the efforts of doctors, nurses and other staff, and also remind Member States and parties to conflict to uphold their commitments to protect health workers and the broader health system. An online campaign #ThanksHealthHero aims to gather tributes to honour the efforts of health professionals. Between World Humanitarian Day and the World Humanitarian Summit in May 2016, people around the world are invited to send messages of thanks via social media.

The campaign serves to draw attention to the threats faced by health workers and the need for intensified action to protect them. In 2015, hundreds of health workers have died in conflict zones and when fighting disease outbreaks such as Ebola. For instance, in Yemen five health workers were killed and 14 injured in June. In West Africa, of the 875 health workers infected with Ebola, 509 died.

Ongoing, repeated and targeted attacks on health facilities have also been increasingly reported. In Yemen alone, 190 health facilities are non-functional and another 183 partly functional as result of the ongoing conflict, including 26 health facilities that have been attacked since May 2015. Similarly, in Iraq, more than 180 front line health services in 10 governorates have been suspended, leaving millions of refugees, internally displaced persons and host communities without access to health care.

Aggravating these difficulties is the lack of funding for medical supplies, equipment and additional health workers. Currently, WHO and partners require more than US$1.7 billion to support their response operations for more than 60 million people in 32 emergencies. WHO alone requires more than US$530 million – less than 30% of which has been received.

As the lead agency in coordinating the health response to international emergencies, WHO is strengthening its global capacities, and forging closer links with humanitarian partners. The agency’s goal of ensuring the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of health requires protecting health workers, as there can be no health without a health workforce.

Media contacts:

Paul Garwood Communication officer Mobile: +41 79 603 7294 Email: garwoodp@who.int

Tarik Jašarević Communication officer Telephone: +41 22 791 50 99 Mobile: +41 79 367 6214 Email: jasarevict@who.int

14 août 2015 │ Genève – Avant la tenue de la Journée mondiale de l’aide humanitaire, l’OMS appelle l’attention sur les attaques persistantes visant les personnels et les établissements de santé. Pour la seule année 2014, l’OMS a enregistré 372 attaques menées dans 32 pays contre des personnels de santé, lesquelles se sont soldées par 603 décès et 958 traumatismes ; des incidents similaires ont été recensés cette année.

« L’OMS est attachée à sauver des vies et à atténuer les souffrances en temps de crise. Les attaques perpétrées contre des agents de santé et des établissements de soins constituent des violations flagrantes du droit humanitaire international. Les personnels de santé ont l’obligation de soigner les malades et les blessés sans discrimination. Toutes les parties au conflit doivent respecter cette obligation », dit le Dr Margaret Chan, Directeur général de l’OMS.

Dans le cadre d’une nouvelle initiative destinée à rendre hommage aux agents de santé, l’OMS lancera une plateforme en ligne permettent de reconnaître les efforts déployés par les médecins, personnels infirmiers et autres, et de rappeler aussi aux États Membres et aux parties à un conflit que leur engagement de protéger les agents de santé et le système de santé au sens large doit être respecté. Une campagne en ligne intitulée #ThanksHealthHero vise à recueillir des témoignages rendant hommage à l’action des professionnels de santé. Entre la tenue de la Journée mondiale de l’aide humanitaire et celle du sommet mondial sur l’action humanitaire, prévue en mai 2016, vous êtes tous invités à envoyer des messages de remerciements via les réseaux sociaux.

La présente campagne sert à appeler l’attention sur les menaces auxquelles sont exposés les agents de santé et sur la nécessité d’intensifier l’action pour les protéger. En 2015, des centaines d’agents de santé sont morts dans des zones de conflit ou en combattant des flambées épidémiques comme la maladie à virus Ebola. Au Yémen, par exemple, cinq agents de santé ont été tués et 14 ont été blessés au mois de juin. En Afrique de l’Ouest, sur les 875 agents de santé infectés par le virus Ebola, 509 sont décédés.

Les attaques persistantes, répétées et ciblées contre les établissements de soins se sont elles aussi multipliées. Rien qu’au Yémen, 190 centres ne sont plus opérationnels et 183 autres le sont partiellement en raison du conflit en cours, dont 26 ont été attaqués depuis mai 2015. De même, en Iraq, plus de 180 services de santé de première ligne implantés dans 10 gouvernorats ont été suspendus, privant ainsi d’accès aux soins de santé des millions de réfugiés, personnes déplacées à l’intérieur du territoire et communautés d’accueil.

Ces difficultés sont aggravées par le manque de moyens pour obtenir des fournitures médicales, du matériel et des agents de santé supplémentaires. À l’heure actuelle, l’OMS et ses partenaires ont besoin de plus de US $1,7 milliard afin de soutenir les actions menées dans 32 situations d’urgence, au bénéfice de plus de 60 millions de personnes. À elle seule, l’OMS a besoin de plus de US $530 millions – dont elle a reçu moins de 30 %.

En tant qu’organisme chef de file de la coordination des mesures sanitaires prises face aux situations d’urgence internationales, l’OMS s’emploie à renforcer ses capacités mondiales et à nouer des liens plus étroits avec ses partenaires de l’action humanitaire. Son objectif qui consiste à ce que tout être humain possède le meilleur état de santé qu’il est capable d’atteindre nécessite que l’on protège les agents de santé car on ne saurait préserver la santé sans professionnels de santé.

Contacts pour les médias

Paul Garwood
Chargé de communication
portable Genève : +44 79 603 72 94
courriel : garwoodp@who.int

Tarik Jašarević
Chargé de communication
téléphone : +41 22 791 50 99
portable : +41 79 367 62 14
courriel : jasarevict@who.int

BURKINA FASO

INONDATIONS DANS LA RÉGION DU CENTRE
Des pluies torrentielles ont provoqué des crues soudaines dans la région du centre, inondant le quartier Bissighin à Ouagadougou et le village de Tanghin Dassouri, à 30 km de la capitale. Au total, quelques 1 240 maisons ont été détruites. Le Gouvernement et les partenaires fournissent une assistance pour les besoins primaires en nourriture et nutrition, santé et assainissement. Les autorités signalent que les fortes pluies et les vents violents de cette année ont abouti jusqu'ici à 3 669 personnes ayant perdu leurs maisons et leurs moyens de subsistance.

CAMEROUN

PLUSIEURS VILLAGES ATTAQUÉS
Dans la nuit du 3 au 4 août, des combattants présumés de Boko Haram ont attaqué le village de Kangaleri, près de la frontière nigériane, dans la région de l'Extrême Nord. Environ 20 personnes ont été tuées et plusieurs enfants enlevés. Une autre attaque attribuée à Boko Haram a eu lieu dans le village de Tchakamadje, environ 25 km au nord de Maroua. Plus de 100 personnes ont été blessées suite aux récentes attaques. Les services de santé de la région manquent de ressources suffisantes pour faire face à la situation.

RÉPUBLIQUE CENTRAFRICAINE (RCA)

600 REFUGIES RETOURNENT EN RDC
Le 4 août, le HCR a lancé un pont aérien pour rapatrier plus de 600 réfugiés en RDC, six ans après avoir fui la RCA. Les réfugiés ont choisi d'être rapatriés en raison de la persistance de l'insécurité en RCA. À leur arrivée, les rapatriés recevront une subvention pour couvrir le voyage de retour vers leurs villages respectifs et faciliter leur réinsertion.

TCHAD

10 000 NOUVEAUX DÉPLACÉS AUTOUR DU LAC TCHAD
Des milliers de personnes continuent de fuir leurs villages dans la région du lac Tchad dans la crainte d'attaques. Beaucoup dorment sous des abris de fortune en manque de nourriture et de services de base. Le nombre total de tchadiens déplacés dans la région du Lac atteint maintenant plus de 40 000 personnes. Leur enregistrement est en cours et les partenaires humanitaires fournissent des articles non alimentaires, des vivres et des articles WASH, dans les trois sites de Kafia, Dar Al Nahim et Kousseri.

MALI

13 TUÉS DANS L’ATTAQUE D’UN HOTEL
Le 7 août, une attaque à Sévaré, près de Mopti, ciblant les forces de sécurité et un hôtel où résident des étrangers et contractuels de l'ONU, a causé la mort de 13 personnes et fait plusieurs blessés. Quatre travailleurs associés à la Mission de maintien de la paix des Nations Unies au Mali, MINUSMA, ont été tués et quatre autres secourus après s’être cachés durant le siège, selon la MINUSMA.

INONDATIONS A MENAKA
Les 7-8 août, de fortes pluies à Ménaka, dans la région de Gao, ont provoqué des inondations causant cinq morts et affectant 1 000 personnes, dont 750 ont trouvé refuge dans les écoles avoisinantes. Des matériaux WASH et de la nourriture ont été distribués aux personnes dans le besoin. Des provisions supplémentaires ont été pré-positionnées dans la région en prévision de nouvelles inondations.

NIGERIA

12 000 RETOURNÉS DU CAMEROUN ONT ÉTÉ ACCUEILLIS PAR LA NEMA
Environ 12 000 Nigérians rentrant du Cameroun et bloqués à la frontière Nigéria/Cameroun de l'État de l’Adamawa ont un besoin urgent d'une assistance supplémentaire. L'Agence nationale de gestion des urgences (NEMA) a indiqué que 650 personnes ont déjà été transportées dans l'État de Borno. La NEMA fournit de la nourriture, des articles non alimentaires et du soutien médical.

REGIONAL/ MALADIE A VIRUS EBOLA MVE

TROIS CAS CONFIRMÉS EN GUINÉE ET EN SIERRA LEONE
La semaine dernière, un total de trois cas MVE confirmés a été signalé: deux en Guinée et un en Sierra Leone. Le Liberia n’a rapporté aucun nouveau cas et se rapproche des 42 jours sans nouveau cas pour être déclaré exempt d’Ebola.

BURKINA FASO

FLASH FLOODS IN CENTRAL REGION
Torrential rains triggered flash floods in the Central Region, flooding the Bissighin neighborhood in Ouagadougou and the village of Tanghin Dassouri, 30 km from the capital. Overall, some 1,240 houses were destroyed. Government and partners are providing assistance, primary needs including food and nutrition, health and sanitation. Authorities report that heavy rains and high winds this year so far have resulted in 3,669 people losing their homes and livelihoods.

CAMEROON

SEVERAL VILLAGES ATTACKED
During the night of 3 - 4 August, suspected Boko Haram fighters attacked the village of Kangaleri, near the Nigerian border in the Far North region. About 20 people were killed and several children kidnapped. Another attack attributed to Boko Haram occurred in the village of Tchakamadje about 25 km north of Maroua. More than 100 people have been injured following recent attacks. Health services in the region lack adequate resources to deal with the situation.

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC (CAR)

600 REFUGEES RETURN TO DRC
On 4 August, UNHCR launched an airlift to repatriate more than 600 refugees to DRC six years after they fled to CAR. The refugees opted to be repatriated due to persisting insecurity in CAR. Upon arrival, the returnees will receive a grant to cover travel to their respective villages and facilitate their reintegration.

CHAD

10,000 NEW IDPS AROUND LAKE CHAD
Thousands of people continue fleeing their villages in the Lake Chad region in fear of attacks. Many are sleeping under makeshift shelters with insufficient food or any basic services. The total number of Chadian IDPs in the Lake region has now reached more than 40,000 people. The registration is ongoing, and humanitarian partners are providing non-food items, WASH and food supplies in the three sites of Kafia, Dar Al Nahim and Kousseri.

MALI

13 KILLED IN HOTEL ATTACK
An attack in Sevare, near Mopti, on 7 August, targeting security forces and a local hotel often used by foreigners and UN contractors, resulted in 13 dead and several more injured. Four workers associated to the UN peacekeeping mission in Mali, MINUSMA, were killed and four rescued after hiding during the siege, according to MINUSMA.

FLOODINGS IN MENAKA
Heavy rains on 7-8 August in Ménaka, Gao region, resulted in flooding causing five deaths and affecting 1,000 people, of which 750 took shelter in nearby schools. WASH materials and food have been distributed to those in need. Additional materials have been pre-positioned in the area should more flooding occur.

NIGERIA

12,000 RETURNING FROM CAMEROON RECEIVED BY NEMA
About 12,000 Nigerians returning from Cameroon and stranded at the Nigeria/Cameroon border in Adamawa state, are in urgent need of further assistance. The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) reported that 650 people have already been transported to Borno State. NEMA is providing food, non-food items, and medical support.

EVD REGIONAL

THREE CONFIRMED CASES IN GUINEA AND SIERRA LEONE
Last week, a total of three confirmed Ebola cases were reported: two in Guinea and one in Sierra Leone. Liberia reported no new cases and is closing in toward the 42 days without a new case to be declared Ebola-free.

After the death of over 11,000 people, and a year of intense remedial efforts, the global response to Ebola in West Africa is shifting from emergency to recovery mode. This follows the successes in containing the spread of the virus in the region, and the possibility of “getting to zero and staying zero,” as recently demonstrated by Liberia.

As part of the recovery process, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon hosted an international Ebola Recovery Conference in New York in July, to focus attention on the need for targeted investments to support recovery priorities over a 24-month time frame.

The three countries most heavily affected by the recent outbreak—Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea—presented their suggested national recovery plans, indicating specific priorities and budget requirements. They also provided a coordinated regional recovery plan, with the Mano River Union (MRU) providing the framework for action.

The recovery plan contains many worthwhile outcomes designed to mitigate the social, economic, financial, governance, and security impact of the Ebola outbreak. Specific areas targeted include health care, water and sanitation systems, education, gender, youth and social protection, agriculture, trade, food security, infrastructure, budget, debt and security.

There are, however, significant limitations to the choice of MRU in this role. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) would provide a much better framework.

To begin with, the four member states of MRU—completed by Cote d’Ivoire—are already part of ECOWAS, which has 15 members in total. The objectives of the MRU and ECOWAS are also similar. They include the promotion of economic cooperation and integration, peace and security, and social development.

ECOWAS is, however, more advanced in the attainment of these objectives. It is also better equipped and resourced than the MRU. All the member states of the MRU have at one time been assisted by ECOWAS to solve their internal problems. The Ebola epidemic would be another case in point.

It is important to note that ECOWAS was the first organization in the world to respond to the Ebola crisis in a coordinated manner. It was first to declare Ebola a regional security threat in March 2014. It also initiated a series of high-level meetings and consultations to assist the affected states through its health agency, the West African Health Organization (WAHO).

WAHO dispatched a series of recommendations on measures to be taken by all the 15 member states in the face of Ebola outbreak. Furthermore, ECOWAS already has a dedicated Ebola response plan, which established ad hoc regional bodies charged with its implementation. These consist of the Coordinating Ministerial Group and the Technical Monitoring and Surveillance Group.

Through its response plan, ECOWAS trained national health workers of the affected states on disease surveillance and kept member states informed of the regional spread of the disease. It facilitated the provision of financial support to the member states, as well as the establishment of a regional plan of action against Ebola, and a solidarity fund.

Ebola is not confined to the MRU area, and ECOWAS has been actively involved in providing regional leadership. It has utilized its convening political advantage to organize high-level meeting of heads of states or ministers of all the 15 states to support the process. This includes leaders adopted a regional approach to fighting Ebola at a summit in July 2014.

Through WAHO, ECOWAS already has a regional health structure with experience of regular engagements with states on a range of health issues. MRU has no such administrative and technical structure. It is therefore more cost-effective to utilize the existing ECOWAS framework.

ECOWAS can mobilize financial and technical resources to help in the recovery process of the affected states. It has already deployed health workers drawn from other states, trained health workers in the affected states, and established a regional solidarity fund that has thus far disbursed about 5 million USD.

The regional body has also utilized the best practice example of Nigeria as an Ebola survivor to assist the affected states. The response of Africa’s most populous nation to the 2014 outbreak was considered a “spectacular success story,” and included a quick mobilization of existing medical capacities designed to combat polio.

The ability to draw on wider regional resources to implement the regional plan holds better promise than what the MRU can provide. Under the alternative scenario, the thin resources of the affected states will already be stretched by the need to implement the national recovery plans, leaving little to contribute to implementation of the MRU vision.

ECOWAS can also offer better coordination of international assistance. It has already worked with the UN, African Union, and African Development Bank on Ebola, and was at one point requested by the WHO to lead the international response process to the disease. Furthermore, ECOWAS has developed regional frameworks that can support the economic, fiscal, and financial recovery of affected states. For example, the Tripartite Meeting on West Africa Integration brings together the World Bank Group, ECOWAS, and the West African Economic and Monetary Union to help the socioeconomic development of the sub region.

Implementing the regional Ebola recovery plan through ECOWAS will better establish a more expansive preparedness in the region. It will also strengthen ECOWAS as regional building bloc of the AU, enhance the principle of subsidiarity, and advance the economic integration of the region.

Aside from financial assistance, Ebola recovery will require health personnel, teachers, entrepreneurs, investors, and peace and security experts to assist the most affected states. ECOWAS can provide these resources by drawing them from its other 12 member states. The MRU, on the other hand, does not have such advantages.

Bappah Habibu Yaya is a Fellow of the African Leadership Centre, Kings College London, and an academic staff member of the Department of Political Science/International Studies, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Nigeria.

"Originally Published in the Global Observatory"

Summary IFRC’s Ebola strategic framework is organised around five outcomes:

• The epidemic is stopped;

• National Societies have better Ebola preparedness and stronger long term capacities;

• IFRC operations are well coordinated;

• Safe and Dignified Burials (SDB) are effectively carried out by all actors

• Recovery of community life and livelihoods

  Six emergency appeals were launched to combat Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreaks in Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria and Senegal, while providing coordination and technical support at the regional and global level. The Ebola emergency appeals have been revised to anticipate a longer-term vision as we are heading to the recovery phase. The revised appeals can be found at http://ifrc.org/en/publicationsandreports/appeals/ and are currently planned to end in Decem

HIGHLIGHTS

• No reported EVD cases for five consecutive days in Guinea reflect the longest period without a new EVD case since the start of the current outbreak

• Interim analysis finds EVD vaccine highly effective

• USAID/FFP assistance increases access to food for vulnerable households in EVDaffected districts of Sierra Leone

KEY DEVELOPMENTS

• The UN Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMMER) officially closed on July 31; the UN World Health Organization (WHO) is now responsible for oversight of the UN system’s Ebola virus disease (EVD) emergency response. The UNMEER Ebola crisis managers will remain in the EVD-affected countries under the oversight of WHO and with the support of the UN resident coordinators and UN country teams. According to UNMEER, the mission was established on September 19, 2014, as a temporary measure to meet immediate needs related to the EVD outbreak, deploying financial, logistical, and human resources to Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone.

• The clinical trial for the Vesicular Stomatitis Virus-Ebola Virus vaccine in Guinea is expanding to be offered to all EVD contacts. WHO experts continue to underscore that, while indicating positive and promising efficacy rates, the recently published interim results of the trial are not fully conclusive.

By Indrias Kassaye

For the residents of one village, the end of quarantine brings joy and relief – but also uncertainty about what comes next.

LAYA GBORAH, Sierra Leone, 14 August 2015 – The closure of Camp Hope on 31 July in Sierra Leone’s Kambia district was cause for celebration – muted, yes, because Ebola is not yet defeated nationwide, but it was the end of quarantine facilities there for villagers who had potentially been exposed to the deadly virus.

The district marked 21 days (the incubation period for Ebola) since the last identified case. The camp was a temporary tented facility for providing a quarantine area, set up by the Government of Sierra Leone, with the support of partners including UNICEF and WHO.

To mark its closure, the residents of Laya Gborah village, from where the residents of Camp Hope hailed, all gathered, and in the presence of elders, chiefs, religious leaders and traditional healers, publicly declared their commitment to ensuring Ebola would never enter their community again.

Camp Hope represented a unique achievement, as an entire village had voluntarily moved out of their homes, made inaccessible by a swamp, to stay in tents erected on the nearest plot of dry land. They had also worked together with Ebola response teams to make sure all persons who had come into contact with the initial Ebola case were identified and placed in isolation. Making sure that alert systems remain effective will be critical in keeping Ebola out of Sierra Leone in future.

“What is important here is that we succeeded in achieving community ownership,” said Delphine Leterrier, UNICEF Field Coordinator in Kambia district. “The entire community was involved. The chief and all the village members, including women representatives who were very strong, participated in the process. It is exactly the kind of model that we want to replicate to have a sustainable alert system.”

Bittersweet occasion

Although there was much to celebrate on the occasion, for the last two residents, release was bittersweet. As the quarantine rope came down, Kadiatu Bangura lifted her 6-year-old son Ali Sesay and hugged him. It was the first time she was seeing Ali since the start of the village-wide lockdown, which had been triggered by his father’s death from Ebola. The local outbreak also claimed her infant son and her sister-in-law. Kadiatu and her husband’s brother were the last to leave Camp Hope.

“I am relieved because I will be leaving this place today,” said Kadiatu. “I am healthy, and my boy is healthy, and we are together again, so it is a good day. I lost my husband and youngest child, but with prayer, I have consoled my mind. I will now go home and be with my family.”

Rebuilding livelihoods disrupted by the disease is another looming challenge for Sierra Leone, where there have been 8,697 confirmed cases of Ebola as of 10 August, with 3,585 confirmed deaths from the virus.

For Kadiatu, restarting life after quarantine and the loss of her husband will take more than overcoming her grief.

“I don’t know how I am going to make my living when I leave here,” said Kadiatu. We made our living farming – growing corn, cassava, groundnuts and rice. As you can see, I have lost my husband. I will not be able to farm without him. If I can get some start-up support, I would like to start doing petty trading. I will be able to earn my living that way.”

Those coming out of quarantine are given a package of items to help them restart their lives, including a mattress, clothes, kitchen utensils, a mat and blankets.

Development back on track

While getting to zero Ebola cases is the immediate priority, the Government of Sierra Leone is already preparing to resume its ‘Agenda for Prosperity’, the national development strategy that was suspended by the Ebola emergency. Three of the four priority areas identified by the Government for the transition period include: restoring access to basic health services, bringing all children back to school and protecting the vulnerable – areas in which UNICEF has committed to providing support.

In May 2015, the Government of Sierra Leone, in collaboration with the World Bank and UNICEF, launched a Social Safety Net programme, which will provide regular cash transfers to extremely poor households, including children, Ebola survivors, and other vulnerable people. Cash transfers will enable families to buy food, send children to school, protect assets such as livestock, and start small-scale businesses such as the petty trading that Kadiatu believes might be the best option for her.

UNICEF’s US$178 million appeal to respond to the Ebola crisis in Sierra Leone, remains underfunded, with $121.7 million received as of 22 July, leaving a funding gap of $56.3 million.

Written by Kieran McConville

In the late summer of 2014, as the outbreak of Ebola gathered pace in the West African nation of Sierra Leone, a decision was taken by its government to make “medical burials” mandatory for anyone who died in the capital, Freetown. Such burials involved teams dressed in full protective clothing removing and burying the body in a designated cemetery.

IT IS ESTIMATED THAT UP TO 80 PERCENT OF EBOLA TRANSMISSIONS… WERE THE RESULT OF CONTACT WITH DEAD BODIES.

By late October the outbreak had reached critical levels, and Concern Worldwide was asked to step in to help manage the burial teams and the cemeteries. Since then, Concern has overseen the burial of over 10,000 people in Freetown and the surrounding area.

DISTRESS

The arrival of the Ebola virus has disrupted many of the cultural and societal norms in Sierra Leone. The prohibition on large gatherings and the guidelines for avoiding bodily contact have been difficult for a people who are usually highly social and interactive. But the restrictions placed on the families of people who have died — whether as a result of Ebola or not — have caused particular distress.

CONTAGION

Traditionally, there is a lot of complex ceremony that surrounds the death, wake, and burial of a loved one. Much of this involves friends and family touching the body. The high risk of post-mortem contagion was the main reason for the introduction of medical burials. According to some studies, a body can remain contagious for up to a week after death, and it is estimated that up to 80 percent of Ebola transmissions in Sierra Leone’s Western Area (essentially Freetown and its surrounding area) were the result of contact with dead bodies.

BURIAL TEAMS

Since October, ten burial teams of twelve people each have been managed by Concern, in addition to digging and management teams that work at the two cemeteries in Sierra Leone’s Western Area. In the initial days of the outbreak, burial teams were working seven days a week and for extremely long hours, yet less than a third of burials were considered safe. Since Concern took over, 98% of burials are considered safe, the roster has become much more flexible, and wages have been regularized. In addition, a dedicated welfare officer was put in place, and counseling made available to team members. Many burial team members were ostracized from their families and communities as a result of their association with the virus, and Concern has been working with communities to counteract stigma and foster recognition of the immense sacrifice these men have made, and continue to make every day.

Removing the dead from their homes is a difficult and potentially life-threatening task. The body of an Ebola victim can be highly contagious in the hours after death. “I know it is dangerous, but I take my time and feel that I am well protected,” says Daniel Sewah. His job is to operate the chlorine sprayer, used to disinfect the scene and the protective equipment of the burial team. He is the first man in to the location of the body. “I have been doing this every day for over a month now – it’s very difficult,” he tells us, as he loads hazmat suits, latex gloves, face masks and visors into the back of the team’s Land Cruiser. “We lose so much sweat using the PPE (personal protective equipment).”

SAFE AND DIGNIFIED

Before Concern became involved, there had been a great deal of confusion amongst families as to what happened to their loved ones after removal from their home or center of treatment. Reports of mass burials in unmarked graves caused widespread anxiety, which was heightened because relatives and friends were barred from attending the burial.

From the beginning, the Concern team was determined to ensure that burials were both safe and dignified, and the grieving family was treated with the respect they deserve. Each grave is given a geographical location and a plot number, which are recorded with the information of the deceased. Families are given a card with the details and the contact number for Concern’s family liaison officer. A simple grave marker with the name is erected at the grave site, to be replaced later by something more permanent.

A short religious ceremony is allowed at the time of the removal of the body and a small number of family members and friends can also attend the burial, wearing foot protection to prevent contamination.