The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, attended the inauguration of a new Ebola treatment center in the city of Bunia, in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, on Sunday.
This city is at the heart of a rare type of Ebola outbreak, where the virus is spreading faster than the response, despite improvements in health infrastructure and the arrival of new reinforcements.
The Ebola treatment center is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities for intensive care. According to its officials, the facility has a capacity of 100 beds, but only 45 are currently available. It will treat all Ebola patients in Bunia and the surrounding area. The Congolese government will deploy a team of doctors and nurses, including intensive care specialists from Kinshasa, as well as a local team comprised of government partners.
Tedros stressed that the key to fighting Ebola lies in community engagement, and that the response to the epidemic must be everyone's business.
“Every citizen must be concerned, take care of themselves and look out for each other. That is how we can end this epidemic as quickly as possible. But I am really happy to visit this facility. It is ready to receive patients, whether they are suspected or confirmed,” he said.
Tedros also announced that four people had recovered from Ebola and would be allowed to return home on Sunday. "Of course, we are working on vaccines and treatments, but that doesn't mean people can't recover from Ebola. That, I believe, is a strong message," he added.
The WHO reported on Friday that the latest official figures show 906 suspected cases and 223 suspected deaths. Neighboring Uganda confirmed nine cases and one death, according to the Ugandan Ministry of Health, also on Friday.
The Bundibugyo virus, the Ebola strain currently in circulation, has no approved treatment or vaccine to date.
