Health

Five Lessons Learned During Latest Ebola Outbreak in DRC

Published

8 years ago

22/07/2017

By MSF

Four people died in the most recent Ebola outbreak that occurred in a remote, forested area of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

This small outbreak (five laboratory-confirmed and three probable cases) was quickly curtailed. The international humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders (MSF) shares lessons learned from this first occurrence of the deadly virus since the end of the large-scale Ebola outbreak that devastated West Africa in 2014-2015.

Train frontline health teams

The scale of this outbreak was minimised, thanks in no small part to a nurse named Dieumerci. With a name that literally translates to ‘Thank God’ in French, Dieumerci works at a Ministry of Health centre in northeast DRC, where the first Ebola cases started emerging.

He detected the risk of Ebola in a seriously ill man at the hospital, and rang the alarm. This man turned out to be the second confirmed case during the recent outbreak. Unlike in West Africa prior to the last major outbreak, Ebola is known in the DRC: the Ebola River, where the virus was first discovered, runs 100 kilometres away from where Dieumerci works.

That doesn’t mean that it is common disease in the area, but still, Dieumerci recognised the symptoms. His quick actions should not be taken for granted. Healthcare workers play a crucial role not only for patients, but also for general epidemiological surveillance. However, in many developing countries human resources within the health sector remain starkly inadequate.

On that fateful day where the Ebola patient came to the health centre, Dieumerci could have easily been on a sick leave, or visiting family somewhere else in the country. One cannot rely on a single individual to play the crucial role of on-the-ground surveillance.

What is needed are proper surveillance systems in resource-poor countries, which were clearly lacking in West Africa at the time of the epidemic. So all in all: thank you Dieumerci. We should all hope that during the next outbreak – be it Ebola or any other infectious disease – there will be another Dieumerci to ring the alarm bell for everyone’s sake.

Finally, a forgotten disease is taken seriously

The word “Ebola” doesn’t ring the same after 2014-2015’s devastating epidemic. At least 11,300 people were killed, and over 28,000 were infected. As a result, Dieumerci’s alarm bell sent shock waves across the world. Congolese authorities immediately activated their outbreak response team and had strong support from WHO and other organisations.

Henry Gray, MSF’s project coordinator during this recent outbreak, has worked on seven haemorrhagic fever interventions in DRC, Uganda and West Africa, to name a few. “The pressure we felt was very different from previous comparable outbreaks: it was clearly at the top of the agenda,” he says. “When it comes to Ebola, we have all learned that it’s better to be safe than sorry in order not to repeat the disaster of 2014-2015.

“However, it is sad to still see that other outbreaks in countries do not trigger the same mobilisation, even in regards to the main killer diseases like cholera or measles.

“Once the Ebola outbreak was over, we were able to re-assign some of the MSF staff towards a serious cholera outbreak on the other side of the country. Our teams went on to treat 1,100 cholera patients. “Considering the dire health needs in many parts of the country, additional support is always welcome”.

Old tricks are timeless – back to basics

The promise of new drugs or vaccines should not overshadow the necessity of putting in place the basic pillars of outbreak control.

It all starts with good surveillance, followed by the five pillars of outbreak control:

Safely isolating and treating the sick.

Actively looking for potential new cases and surveilling those who have been in contact with them.

Burying the dead safely.

Engaging and mobilising the affected communities.

Offering psychological support.

In West Africa, the havoc wrecked by Ebola on the entire health system created more indirect than direct victims of the virus: children became prone to infectious diseases because they weren’t vaccinated; Childbirth complications led to the deaths of mothers and/or children because there were no healthcare workers to care for them; untreated cases of malaria became fatal…

International health actors need to do more to support local health facilities that often have much smaller means and equipment: training staff, ensuring there is basic protection equipment available, and that their pharmacies are stocked with first aid supplies and basic medicines. Our experience in DRC has shown that training frontline workers, even when done ad-hoc, can bring sustained effects to improve their performance in surveillance.

Location, location, location

Like the majority of haemorrhagic fever outbreaks prior to West Africa, the recent one occurred in a very remote, forested area.

Here, the virus was already known to exist within an animal reservoir (assumed to be fruit bats) that is occasionally transmitted to apes, monkeys or men. Some people are very mobile in the region, but can only go as far and as fast as their available transportation; which is pretty much nothing beyond walking and the occasional motorbike.

Dieumerci’s village is 45 kilometres from Likati, the closest town. It is home to 18,000 people, with a majestic cathedral and large, but under equipped, hospital serving as remnants of a time when a railroad was still linking plantations across the country. Today that railroad has been eaten by the encroaching jungle. By contrast, in Guéckédou, Guinea – where the West Africa outbreak started – people can jump on a motorbike and be in the heart of the capital Conakry and its 2.5 million people within two days.

These contrasting examples show how isolation from major cities can keep the spread of deadly disease under control.

Medical innovations are not the magic bullet

At the time of the latest outbreak, MSF was willing to use Ebola treatments which were still in development. However this window closed as the outbreak stopped before the process to allow the use of the experimental treatments was complete. However, this event acted as a ‘booster’ – speeding up the process of preparing medical protocols so that new drugs (still in the experimental phase) can be used in ways that are as safe and ethical as possible.

The rVsV-ZEBOV vaccine (the most advanced investigational vaccine candidate for an Ebola outbreak today) is in development, and needs to be implemented through a study protocol. This, and a vaccine strategy – including informed consent under good clinical practice – were mandatory requirements needed from us to access them.

Soon enough, a study protocol was developed and approved by the MSF Ethics Review Board a few months ago. It was ready for implementation should an outbreak occur. Additionally, a dedicated MSF research team was ready to be deployed. Unfortunately, our negotiations at the DRC Ministry of Health level only took place when the outbreak had already been declared.

It took some time for us to explain what we were planning to do, and how this would differ from a vaccination campaign. But, we managed to obtain authorisation from all the regulatory bodies to start activities in case of a future outbreak.

It is likely that the next outbreak (and trust us, there will be a next outbreak) will happen in a similar setting. We can continue to learn how to best tackle it, and ensure that the West Africa Ebola outbreak remains an isolated tragedy.

Since 1990 MSF has responded to over a dozen outbreaks in sub-Saharan Africa. During the devastating Ebola outbreak that struck mainly Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone in 2014-2015, MSF launched one of the largest emergency operations in its 44-year history.

MSF admitted 10,310 patients to its Ebola management centres of which 5,201 were confirmed Ebola cases, representing one-third of all WHO-confirmed cases. During the first five months of the epidemic, MSF handled more than 85 percent of all hospitalized cases in the affected countries.

At the peak of the epidemic, MSF employed nearly 4,300 staff—most of whom were from the affected countries—who ran Ebola management centres, conducted surveillance, contact tracing, and health promotion, and provided psychological support.

Health

Nigeria Launches First National Antimicrobial Resistance Survey

Published

2 days ago

03/12/2025

Adedapo Adesanya

By Adedapo Adesanya

Nigeria has launched its first nationally representative survey on antimicrobial resistance to generate critical data to guide evidence-based policies, improve patient outcomes, and strengthen health system resilience.

Antimicrobial resistance occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites evolve to resist treatment, making infections harder to cure.

As a result, surveillance is essential to track resistance patterns, identify priority pathogens, and guide targeted interventions and with support from the World Health Organization (WHO) and other partners, the initiative marks a milestone in the country’s public health response.

Nigeria becomes the third country globally to partner with WHO on a national antimicrobial resistance survey. having been selected based on the country’s strong commitment to AMR surveillance, its updated WHO Nigeria NAP 2.0, and readiness to expand laboratory and data systems.

Africa’s most populous country ranks 20th globally for age-standardized mortality due to antimicrobial resistance . In 2019, an estimated 263,400 deaths in Nigeria were linked to it—more than the combined deaths from enteric infections, tuberculosis, respiratory infections, maternal and neonatal disorders, neglected tropical diseases, malaria, and cardiovascular diseases.

Globally, resistant infections in tertiary care settings cost between $2,371 and $29,289 per patient episode, extend hospital stays by an average of 7.4 days, and increase mortality risk by 84 per cent.

The survey will see the establishment of a national baseline on antimicrobial resistance prevalence to monitor interventions, assess the distribution, burden (morbidity, mortality, DALYs, cost), and diversity of AMR across regions and populations, as well as contribute to the global target of reducing AMR deaths by 10 per cent by 2030, in line with the political declaration endorsed at the 79th United Nations General Assembly in 2024.

It also seeks to strengthen routine antimicrobial resistance surveillance, including diagnostics, sample referral systems, and laboratory capacity.

Using WHO’s standardized methodology, the survey will run for 12–15 months and cover 40–45 randomly selected health facilities nationwide. Patients with suspected bloodstream infections (BSIs) will be identified using standard case definitions, and blood samples will be analysed in quality-assured laboratories.

Data will be collected across all age groups, covering clinical, demographic, laboratory, financial, and outcome indicators. Follow-up will occur at discharge, 28 days, and three months post-infection. The survey will sample approximately 35,000 patients suspected of BSIs to obtain around 800 isolates of the most common pathogens.

Dr Tochi Okwor, Acting Head, Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) said, “With WHO’s support, we are confident the survey will generate the evidence needed to protect public health.”

WHO Representative in Nigeria, Dr Pavel Ursu, reaffirmed WHO’s commitment stating that ,“Nigeria is taking a decisive step toward combating AMR with an approach grounded in data, science, and measurable impact. This survey will provide the clarity needed to drive smarter policies, stronger surveillance, and better patient outcomes. Nigeria is laying the foundations for a resilient health system, one that protects lives, strengthens trust, and ensures that essential medicines remain effective for future generations.”

Adding her input, Dr Laetitia Gahimbare, Technical Officer at WHO Regional Office for Africa, added:“Strengthening surveillance enhances Nigeria’s capacity to detect and respond to AMR threats, supporting better patient outcomes, reinforcing health security, and building a resilient system.”

Professor Babatunde Ogunbosi, Paediatric Infectious Diseases Specialist at University College Hospital, Ibadan, highlighted the broader impact:, “This survey is about more than data. It’s about building national capacity for research, diagnostics, and policy. It integrates science into public health decision-making.”

Health

Our Vision Extends Beyond Offering Health Insurance Packages—SUNU Health

Published

2 weeks ago

21/11/2025

Modupe Gbadeyanka

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

One of the leading Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs) in Nigeria, SUNU Health, has said its philosophy is proactive wellness, noting that this was why it recently partnered with The Divine Physician and St. Luke Catholic Chaplaincy Centre for a community health initiative.

The chief executive of the company, Dr Patrick Korie, said, “SUNU Health’s vision extends far beyond merely offering health packages and insurance.”

“We are fundamentally interested in proactive wellness—preventing illness rather than just treating it. This annual exercise is a crucial part of that commitment, and we will continue to champion it for as long as we exist,” he stressed.

The medical practitioner led the company’s annual Health Walk in Lagos on Saturday, November 8, 2025. The event drew hundreds of health enthusiasts, including the Chaplain of the centre, Rev Fr. John Okoria SJ.

His active participation reinforced the spiritual and moral commitment to holistic well-being, proving crucial in mobilizing staff and community members, thereby ensuring the vital wellness message reached a broad and deeply engaged audience.

The health walk covered several major streets in Lagos, starting from Ishaga Road and navigating through Itire Road, Randle Avenue, Akerele, Ogunlana Drive, and Workers Street before concluding back at the starting point. Following the vigorous walk, participants engaged in a session of high-energy aerobics and other outdoor exercises, reinforcing the day’s focus on fitness.

“We are delighted to champion this vital health initiative alongside the Catholic Chaplaincy Centre LUTH/CMUL. The turnout was truly delightful, reflecting the community’s deep desire to embrace wellness.

“Collaborations like this amplify our message and commitment to the Nigerian community,” the Brand and Corporate Communications Lead at SUNU Health, Mr Samuel Olayemi, stated.

Health

80 Coronation Registrars Staff Donate Blood in Lagos CSR Initiative

Published

2 weeks ago

18/11/2025

Adedapo Adesanya

By Adedapo Adesanya

Coronation Registrars Limited, a subsidiary of Coronation Group, in partnership with the Lagos State Blood Transfusion Committee (LSBTC), recently hosted a Blood Drive Initiative at the 5th floor of Coronation Group Plaza. The event saw over 80 staff donate blood to support critical healthcare needs in Lagos State.

The Blood Drive Initiative forms part of Coronation’s commitment to meaningful, human-centred corporate social responsibility, a direct, measurable, and life-saving effort that reflects the Group’s health and sustainability values.

As Prosperity Partners dedicated to creating sustainable wealth for clients and the African continent, Coronation recognises that true prosperity extends beyond financial returns to encompass the well-being of communities we serve.

The company noted that this initiative enabled it to deliver immediate social impact by supporting national blood supply shortfalls through employee-driven action, demonstrate leadership in health-focused CSR aligned with ESG goals and SDG 3 (Good Health & Well-being), strengthen internal culture by fostering employee engagement, empathy, and purpose in a safe, structured environment, and reinforce corporate reputation through public-facing acts of service, stakeholder trust, and media visibility.

Blood donation remains a critical need in Nigeria, where regular blood supply is essential for emergency care, surgeries, and treatment of various medical conditions. Each donation can save up to three lives, and the collective effort of Coronation employees will significantly impact patients in need across Lagos State healthcare facilities.

“This aligns seamlessly with Coronation’s broader sustainability agenda, which views healthcare access as fundamental to building prosperous communities across Africa,” the company said in a statement on Tuesday.

Partnering with a certified medical institution, the drive was professionally managed, medically compliant, and logistically efficient. Participants underwent necessary medical screening procedures to ensure donor fitness and safety. Following their donations, donors received refreshments and appreciation for their life-saving contribution.

“At Coronation, we believe in making a meaningful difference in the communities we serve,” said Mr Oluseyi Owoturo, Chief Executive Officer of Coronation Registrars Limited. “This Blood donation Initiative reflects our values in action, saving lives, building community, and positioning the company as a purpose-driven brand. We’re proud of our employees who stepped forward to donate blood and save lives. This is what sustainable impact looks like: tangible solutions that address real challenges facing our continent.”

The partnership with the Lagos State Blood Transfusion Committee ensured professional handling of the donation process, meeting all safety and quality standards for blood collection and storage.

Coronation Registrars Limited says it continues to demonstrate that corporate success goes hand-in-hand with social responsibility.

“This initiative reinforces the company’s purpose to create a prosperous future for clients and the African continent through transformational solutions,” it added.