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IOM REGIONAL RESPONSE TO EBOLA CRISIS

• IOM is managing three Ebola Treatment Units (ETUs) in Liberia in Tubmanburg, Buchanan, and Sinje.

• ETU in Buchanan, Liberia admits first two patients on 24 December.

• A Rapid Health Assessment is being conducted at the request of the Bomi County Health Team in Liberia to identify needs in the 20 healthcare facilities in the county.

• IOM is assisting the Grand Cape Mount County Health Team in Liberia to improve coordination of the EVD response.

• IOM is supporting Active Case Finding in Bomi County, Liberia.

• In December The National Training Academy in Freetown, Sierra Leone conducted 21 courses, training over 1,600 national and international healthcare workers.

• IOM distributed generators, protective supplies and office supplies to Provincial Emergency Operations Centres (PEOCs) in Guinea.

HIGHLIGHTS

EXTERNAL SITUATION REPORT 9 JANUARY 2015

OVERVIEW Since the Ebola outbreak in West Africa was first reported in March 2014, to date, there have been 20,656 confirmed, probable and suspected cases of EVD have been reported with 8,153 fatalities (39%) in the three most severely affected West African nations of Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, according to UNMEER reports. IOM has expanded its Ebola Response activities to now include eight nations in West Africa, developing border management strategies to strengthen control and response capacities to prevent the spread of EVD.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon undergoes health screening process at Lungi International Airport on 19 December 2014

A banner in Freetown, Sierra Leone raises public awareness about Ebola © IOM 2015

© IOM 2015

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LIBERIA Ebola Treatment Unit Openings

IOM opened two new Ebola Treatment Units (ETUs) in Buchanan and Sinje in December. The ETU in Buchanan was officially inaugurated on the 22nd and started receiving patients, as of the 24th.

IOM opened a third ETU in Sinje on Monday, 29 December. This ETU will provide much needed support to the Ebola Response in the Grand Cape Mount County where cases of EVD have been increasing.

Community Outreach & Social Mobilization

IOM organized a talk show, broadcast on local community radio, where IOM staff discussed the benefits of the ETUs (survival rates, number of patients, future social mobilization activities) and provided answers about the ETU to callers. Additionally, 2,000 graphic stories and 700 feedback line fliers were also recently distributed.

SIERRA LEONE UN Secretary General and WHO Director General visit Sierra Leone

Medics trained at the IOM-administered National Ebola Training Academy conducted health screening of the special guests in an efficient and professional manner. The Secretary General later thanked IOM staff for their well-organized and important work.

National Ebola Training Academy

IOM’s team in Sinje, Liberia assemble for opening day on 29 December 2014

Social mobilization messaging is prominently displayed at the Sinje ETU opening.

Ebola survivors are integrated into the mock ETU training course at the National Ebola Training Academy

© IOM 201

© IOM 2014

© IOM 2015

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The National Training Academy in December 2014 successfully ran 21 courses with over 1,600 national and international students trained: In 2015 training will resume at the Nursing College as well as the stadium site. Courses continue to be revised in order to meet evolving training needs and enhance past modules.

Health and Humanitarian Border Management

In an effort to further strengthen airport screening, security, government and international officials met on 2 January 2015 at Lungi International Airport to review the current processes for preventing any ill persons from entering the airport. Among them, Chief Executive Officer of the National Ebola Response Centre, Major Alfred Paolo Conteh (Retired) stated,

“We will do everything we can to ensure that travellers and airport employees are safe from the threat of Ebola.”

Major Alfred Paolo Conteh

Recent increases in Ebola cases in Port Loko District, especially in the Kaffu Bullom Chiefdom near the airport, have brought focus on the need for more thorough screening at the airport. During the briefing officials were informed of a case of Ebola detected in the community and confirmed by laboratory testing on 2 January 2015.

This patient had worked at the airport in mid-December, but has not worked since that time. One contact of the patient is also an airport employee, but has not worked since 25 December 2014.

While there was no transmission risk with these patients, measures have been implemented to mitigate future risks. Airport staff now undergoes more extensive health screening before entering the airport.

GUINEA

IOM distributed generators, protective supplies, and office supplies to Provincial Emergency Operations Centres in Coyah, Forecaiah, and Boffa. Distribution and installation of IT systems started on 7 January and will continue at the remaining of the PEOCs around the country, including the Forest Region, the epicentre of the epidemic.

IOM is also conducting a comprehensive assessment to identify gaps and challenges of PEOC operations. From 5-13 January, IOM assessment team will meet with the PEOC Coordinators and team members from all 15 Centres and conduct a PEOC survey. The survey includes a facility assessment checklist, a staff readiness questionnaire, and a community response questionnaire. The survey results will provide a guideline for building capacity of PEOCs and support the Government of Guinea to fully operationalize management and coordination of Ebola activities at the prefecture level.

Health and Humanitarian Border Management

Guinea is bordered by six West African countries including Liberia and Sierra Leone. To ensure safe migration and better health management at border areas, IOM is working with various partners to develop border management activities to strengthen infection prevention, control and response capacities at selected border areas to prevent spread of EVD.

Health screening agents, trained at the National Ebola Training Academy, get a thumbs up from WHO Director General, Margaret Chan, at Lungi International Airport on 19 December 2014

Coyah Provincial Emergency Operation Centre team members receiving supplies from IOM

© IOM 2014

© IOM 2015

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With the assistance and support of donors and implementing partners, IOM delivers an ongoing coordinated response to the Ebola crisis in West Africa, including such services as: • Management of three Ebola

Treatment Units in Liberia • Training airport staff to screen

passengers for Ebola at Lungi International Airport and educating frontline responders to work safely and efficiently with Ebola patients in Sierra Leone

• Rehabilitation and equipping of Provincial Emergency Operations Centres in Guinea

• Distribution of hygiene kits and home health kits to mitigate the spread of Ebola

FUNDING FOR IOM’S EBOLA CRISIS RESPONSE PROGRAMME IN WEST AFRICA IS PROVIDED BY:

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON IOM’S EBOLA CRISIS RESPONSE PROGRAMME, PLEASE CONTACT: IOM Ebola Crisis Response Programme Coordination Office, IOM HQs| ebolaresponse@iom.int | +41 22 717 9111

Donor Relations Division, IOM HQs | drd@iom.int | +41 22 717 9271 IOM Regional Office, Dakar (Senegal) | rodakarebolacoordination@iom.int | +221 33 869 6200