The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s largest Ebola treatment centre is set to open this week in Bunia, in the country’s northeast, as the outbreak continues to spread at what the World Health Organization (WHO) has described as an “exceptional” pace.
The footage shows the Kigonze Ebola Transit Centre, where suspected cases are isolated and treated while awaiting laboratory test results. It also includes images of the new Rwankole Ebola Treatment Centre, which is nearing completion.
Dr. Francis Bigirimwami Chibanvunya explains the protocol for managing suspected Ebola patients at the transit centre and provides an update on the current condition of those being held in isolation.
Sambo Sidikou of the NGO International Medical Corps outlines the capabilities of the new treatment centre, which is expected to become the largest in the country, with 100 beds and more than 300 staff members. He also explains the specialised facilities designed to care for pregnant women who are infected with, or suspected of having, Ebola.
According to the latest WHO figures, as of July 30, the outbreak had reached 3,605 confirmed cases, including 1,587 deaths. On August 1, the WHO called for a significant strengthening of the public health response as the epidemic continues to accelerate.
