JUBA—The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has delivered more than 50 metric tons of medical supplies to strengthen South Sudan’s preparedness for potential Ebola outbreaks amid reported cases in neighboring countries, including the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The supplies include personal protective equipment (PPE) and infection prevention and control (IPC) materials to help health facilities and communities respond to potential cases.
The preparedness efforts are supported by donors, including the United States government, the Mastercard Foundation and the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF).
Dr. Douglas Noble, UNICEF Global Lead for Public Health Emergencies and Incident Manager for the Ebola Crisis, said the agency was scaling up preparedness activities in priority counties to prevent and respond to possible outbreaks of Bundibugyo Virus Disease (BVD), a rare strain of Ebola.
“A great deal of important BVD preparedness work has been undertaken by UNICEF, WHO, Africa CDC, and partners in support of the government. The recent simulation exercise was an important step forward. The priority now must be to address remaining gaps in the days and weeks ahead,” said Noble.
He said the agency was also training health workers, rapid response teams, faith leaders and community members to identify symptoms, promote protective behaviors, support early referrals and counter misinformation about the disease.
UNICEF South Sudan Representative Noala Skinner said additional investment was essential to strengthen community-based surveillance, improve health facility readiness, maintain supply pipelines, enhance cross-border preparedness and increase surge capacity before an outbreak occurs.
“Evidence from previous Ebola outbreaks shows that preparation is key to keeping outbreaks under control,” Skinner said.
“Domestic investment in the social services, including payment of salaries could not be more important at this time to underpin preparedness and support any response.”
Skinner warned that ongoing crises in the country, including displacement, flooding, drought-like conditions, food insecurity and recurrent disease outbreaks, were already straining essential services and increasing the risk of public health emergencies.
According to UNICEF, more than 10,000 people had been infected with Bundibugyo Virus Disease in the DRC as of November 1, with more than 5,000 deaths reported.
Children have been particularly affected, accounting for one in four reported infections and one in three deaths.
Bundibugyo is a rare strain of Ebola for which there is currently no specific treatment, although trials and tests are underway to identify effective medicines and vaccines.
