The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank has approved a donation of US$430,000 to Guinea to support the fight against the risk of the spread of the Ebola hemorrhagic fever epidemic through the country.

Since mid-February 2021, Guinea has been facing an epidemic resurgence linked to the Ebola virus, after the great crisis of 2014. This new epidemic occurs in a context marked by the COVID-19 pandemic. This pandemic poses both health and socioeconomic challenges in the West African country.

The UNICEF Guinea Ebola Situation Report show that as of 1st June 2021, 16 cases of Ebola were confirmed in Guinea, including 5 confirmed deaths and 10 recoveries. Overall, 10,873 people have been inoculated (including 2,879 frontline staff) since the official launch of the vaccination on February 23, 2021. The countdown (42 days) to the end of the epidemic started on May 8, 2021. Guinea is 19 days away from declaring the end of the Ebola virus disease, according to UNICEF.

Meanwhile, the support of the African Development Bank will make it possible to implement the priorities of the Guinean government in its response to the Ebola virus. This will help the government to limit the mortality and morbidity rates linked to the virus.

The Emergency Humanitarian Assistance Project will enable Guinea to strengthen its diagnostic and sample management capacities in six regional laboratories. These laboratories will benefit from sample collection kits, and reagents. It will also help the laboratories to procure infection prevention and control equipment.

GeneXPert devices and genomic sequencers

Furthermore, four regional laboratories will receive GeneXPert devices and genomic sequencers. Also, biologists will be trained in the diagnosis of the Ebola virus. The technical platform of the country’s laboratories will thus be strengthened in terms of genomic surveillance in the response to Ebola.

Moreover, the project will help improve the prevention and control of infections. It will also boost case management in targeted health facilities and in the community. This is because it will make personal protective equipment available. Additionally, it will make available isolation and case management facilities.

Meanwhile, the African Development Bank indicated that in total, some 200 personal protective equipment will be distributed. However, the focus will be on health personnel and community workers.

Besides, some 400 health workers and community volunteers will benefit from refresher training courses. This training will focus on infection prevention and case management, including survivors in the affected regions.

Awareness creation

One key area in the fight against the Ebola virus is the creation of awareness creation. As such, the project will also enable Guinea to intensify its awareness-raising operations. The benefit of this, is to improve the population’s perception of the health response.

Moreover, the emergency humanitarian aid project aims to strengthen the Guinean health system. It will do this by supplying all targeted health facilities with essential drugs and other health products for the care of survivors of the Ebola virus.

This project responds to one of the five strategic priorities, “High 5”, of the African Development Bank. Specifically, “improving the quality of life of African populations”.