Ebola surveillance expands beyond DR Congo borders as IOM steps up efforts

By Rédaction Africanews with AP

As the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo reaches unprecedented levels, disease surveillance is spreading beyond the country’s borders.

More than 7,700 cases and over 3,700 deaths have been reported in the DRC, according to government figures released on Tuesday.

To tackle the epidemic, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) is increasing its efforts at displacement sites and along major travel routes, including the Congo River.

At the Bende-Bende port, in Kinshasa, IOM workers take the temperature of every passenger and collect health information through a traveller health form, with teams conducting an average of around 1,000 health screenings a day.

“If a passenger meets the definition of a suspected or alert case, they are immediately referred to the sampling unit to determine whether it’s a case of Ebola , another epidemic disease, or cholera”, said Dr. Primous Godjedo, a health security specialist at the IOM.

The IOM also said it was working “closely” with neighbouring countries, including Uganda, South Sudan, Burundi, Rwanda and the Central African Republic, to strengthen preparedness and reduce the risk of cross-border transmission.