Ebola update from HEAL Africa
In a report earlier this week, Pytchen Kalonda, Projects Coordinator at HEAL Africa, said (referring to WorldShare and its supporters);
“Your contribution arrived at a pivotal moment in our fieldwork. Given the urgency of the situation on the ground, this tangible support provides us with the resources needed to accelerate our interventions and strengthen our strategic pillars within the response.”
The strategic pillars that he is referring to are:
1) case management,
2) rigorous contact tracing and
3) infection prevention and biosecurity within the hospital.
“Since we recorded a confirmed case of Ebola, we haven’t left the hospital.”
With these words, Serge Bwenge, a nurse and team leader for the Ebola response at HEAL Africa, summed up nearly three weeks (19 days) of mobilisation that followed the appearance of the only confirmed case of Ebola recently recorded in Goma.
On 3rd June, this mobilisation was rewarded with hopeful news. The patient being treated at HEAL Africa’s Ebola Treatment Centre was declared cured and allowed to return to her family. Her discharge was marked by a ceremony bringing together several health stakeholders at both local and international levels.
Speaking at the event, the patient expressed her gratitude to the teams who supported her throughout the 19 days of treatment in intensive care.
"I am grateful to everyone involved. I especially thank the team that was on the front line of my treatment," she said emotionally.
A recovery that gives hope
Her story reminds us of an important reality: Ebola is not an incurable disease when diagnosed early and patients receive appropriate care.
At the patient's discharge ceremony, the medical director of HEAL Africa Hospital, Dr. Barthélemy Kasi, emphasised the need for swift action against the disease.
"If you contract Ebola and go to the hospital as soon as you experience the first symptoms, while following the instructions of the doctors and nurses, you can recover from this disease," he explained, while urging the population to remain vigilant.
The day after the ceremony, the response teams decontaminated the Ebola Treatment Centre set up by HEAL Africa.
Outlook and vigilance
Although there are no active cases in Goma today, the risk of resurgence of Ebola linked to the Bundibugyo strain remains high due to the increase in cases in North Kivu province and significant population movements.
The team at HEAL Africa knows that it is essential that maximum vigilance is maintained and awareness campaigns are strengthened.
Rigorous contact tracing and preventive isolation along with strict protocols and PPE have ensured that none of the patient’s contacts have developed symptoms. In addition, HEAL Africa’s infection prevention and biosecurity at the entrance and within the hospital has helped to protect staff, patients, and visitors.
While HEAL Africa possesses the necessary technical expertise, sustaining these protective measures over time requires continuous resources.
Our prayers and thoughts remain with HEAL Africa and the communities of Goma at this critical time.
