Guinea declares 45-day Ebola health emergency in 5 prefectures

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Guinea declares 45-day Ebola health emergency
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28 Mar 2015 23:54 GMT | Health

Guinea's President Alpha Conde has announced new emergency measures enabling authorities to restrict movements in western Guinea where Ebola transmission continues a year after the epidemic was declared.
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Following a dip in new cases in Guinea in January, they have spiked again since early March in and around the capital, prompting officials to announce a new phase of the epidemic.

"I declare in the districts of Forecariah, Coyah, Dubreka, Boffa and Kindia a reinforcement of emergency measures for a period of 45 days," Conde said on state television late on Saturday.

"Wherever the need may be, throughout this period, measures of restriction and confinement will be taken," he said in what would be a first for the country since the outbreak began.

Food and medical supplies would be given to the affected communities, Conde added. He not specify where or when such restrictions would take effect.
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The Reuters news agency reported last week that three doctors in a Conakry hospital had been infected with the virus because of a lack of infection control in a sign that the lapses that fuelled the outbreak a year ago are dogging the final stages of the fight.

Since then, a further six medical staff across three clinics in western Guinea have been infected, including two doctors, according to a report written by France's coordination team which provides technical assistance to Guinea on Ebola.

"Indefensible instances of negligence are showing up at the heart of our healthcare system," Conde said. Centres where medical staff had caught the virus will be closed, he added.
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http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/...cy-150328231336858.html?utm_source=Al_Jazeera

 

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Translation Google

Posted by Guineematin 28 - March - 2015
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According to a document sent to the media by the Presidency press office of the Republic, the Head of State announced, for a period of 45 days, enhanced health emergency on the "prefectures of Forecariah, Coyah, Dubr?ka, Boffa and Kindia.
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Guineematin.com offers below, all of these measures announced Saturday,

March 28, 2015.

Guineans, dear compatriots,

I come before you today to discuss the evolution of the Ebola epidemic that is facing our country.

As you know, on August 13, 2014, I signed the national health emergency declaration in our country. At the time, the epidemic was out of control and made more and more victims throughout the national territory.

Since then, 3,478 Guineans were affected, 1,880 have died. Health workers paid a heavy price with 200 health workers infected for 108 who died.

The general evolution of the crisis management allows to note significant improvements:

Guinea Forest prefectures are for 21 days without Ebola: 0 cases of patient, 0 contact.

Technical means, mobile laboratories and other allow to reduce delays in obtaining test results.

People are becoming more aware and the last reluctance areas are disappearing.

The school year took place without incident and the pupils and students, better informed and more engaged, are fully involved in the fight against Ebola.

Today, the different treatment centers are treating 54 confirmed cases of patients and 26 suspects.

Cured Ebola patients are becoming more and return to their families is an encouraging sign.

Guineans,

What has been done is important. What remains is crucial and vital. As epidemics experts say, it is easier to go from 100 to 10 than from 10 to 0. That is to say that what we have to do is harder than what we have already done.

Yet, I regret to say that there is increasingly an abandonment of the vigilance and necessary precautions to save the lives of our people. All measures enacted by the health emergency declaration and recommendations of the National Coordination are less and less followed.

These guilty negligence manifested at the heart of our health care system. A department in a hospital of the area and several private clinics were infected with the virus. It is extremely difficult to accept that health workers, who paid a high price in this epidemic are the vector instead of being the rampart.

Also, the death management (burial, body transfer and ritual ceremonies) are, according to the findings of the studies, transmission factors, in particular in Conakry. The unintended movement of suspected cases from one village to another, from one prefecture to another are trying to eliminate the impact of our work.

The mapping of the epidemic today has shifted to the coast of our country, in the prefectures of Forecariah, Coyah, Kindia, Dubr?ka and Boffa. In this densely populated area, the epidemic represents a real risk to the health of our Nation.

That is why I declare for the prefectures of Forecariah, Coyah, Dubr?ka, Kindia Boffa an enhanced health emergency for a period of 45 days. In Conakry stringent measures will also be taken to strengthen vigilance in the localities.

The following measures should be taken and strictly enforced:

Hospital and private clinics in which cases of Ebola have been declared must be temporarily closed; patients who are already present there must remain and measures will be taken to ensure their care and food;

Other health care facilities that do not apply preventive measures must also be closed.

All deaths during this period of increased health emergency must be systemically tested.

All burials in the enhanced health emergency covered area must first be secured by the Red Cross and Civil Protection, in respect for human dignity.

Burial ceremonies, mourning and condolences should be reduced to the strict family intimacy; greetings and rituals groupings can be pospone beyond the enhanced health emergency.

Anyone who hides patients or moves bodies from one locality to the other will be prosecuted according to law for endangering the lives of others.

Accompanying measures and support to families and health workers need to be reinforced by the National Coordination.

The Ministry of Health should intensify the supervision of care and ensuring compliance with preventive measures.

Wherever necessary, during this health emergency, cantonment and containment measures will be taken and efforts will be made to provide food and health support to people affected.

All ministerial departments, regions, prefectures and municipalities, as well as health facilities and structures must ensure the strict implementation of these measures.

Guineans,

The Ebola epidemic imposes an extremely difficult time for our country and our brothers and sisters in Sierra Leone and Liberia.

I appeal to civil society organizations, political parties, local elected officials, unions, the media, youth and women for a general mobilization and unwavering commitment to the fight against Ebola.

Ebola is not over, it can quickly end if we respect these measures.

For the future of our nation, we must, here and now, show courage, sacrifice and discipline.

God bless Guinea.

Transmitted by the press office of the Presidency of the Republic

http://guineematin.com/urgence-sani...ause-debola-apres-les-menaces-de-lopposition/