GLIDE no. EP-2009-000008-COD
The International Federation's Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) is a source of un-earmarked money created by the Federation in 1985 to ensure that immediate financial support is available for Red Cross Red Crescent response to emergencies. The DREF is a vital part of the International Federation's disaster response system and increases the ability of National Societies to respond to disasters.
Summary: CHF 146,404 (USD 132,205 or EUR 97,375) was allocated from the Federation's Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) on 9 January, 2009 to support the Red Cross of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (RCDRC) in delivering assistance to some 15,000 beneficiaries. There are people affected by the Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever in the Mweka health zones of the Western Kasai province.
This operation started in January 2009 and has been completed in April 2009. After the official declaration of the outbreak, government authorities set up crisis committees at various levels. The Red Cross of the Democratic Republic of the Congo was a member of those committees, with other Government partners in the humanitarian field. The RCDRC volunteers who acquired experience during the 2007 Ebola operation in neighboring localities were deployed in Mweka to sensitize the populations to the dangers of the disease and to help transfer patients with Ebola signs to isolation centers, and safely bury corpses when needed.
This operation was conducted in the field within a multi-sector crisis committee composed of representatives of the Ministry of Health (MoH), WHO (national and international teams), Belgium Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). The committee has been able to coordinate the implementation of the following activities: sensitize the populations to hygiene rules; isolate and treat patients with chloramphenicol and metronidazole, and rehydrate patients while waiting for a more precise diagnosis to be established with an antibiogram; conduct epidemiological surveillance and process data; and collect samples and sending them to Libreville and Atlanta via Kinshasa for analysis.
The situation
There have been Ebola epidemic for two successive years (2007 and 2008). The index case was the chief of the village, a hunter, who died on April 27th 2007. Most people who attended his funerals had developed the disease and died. The authorities have only been informed of this situation on 21 August, 2007. On 27 November, 2008 the Western Kasai Provincial Health Inspectorate informed the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Public Health Ministry that there were again suspected cases of the Ebola hemorrhagic Fever in the Mweka health zone. The Mweka health zone physician-in-chief reporting to the Minister of Public Health revealed that an Ebola epidemic was hitting Kaluamba, a neighboring area to Kampungu that was affected by the same disease in August 2007. The reporter also described an outbreak of diarrhea epidemic among children under 5 years in neighboring Buena-Lueka on 8 December, 2008. On the 48th week of 2008, a parturient died of postpartum hemorrhage in a health centre. Her baby and the person who accompanied them to the hospital also died of bloody diarrhea. Even the nurse who attended to those departed persons was showing the same signs. The situation as of 2nd January, 2009 was as follows: 40 cases registered in one month, including 28 female cases. Out of the 40 cases, 13 were below the age of 15, while 25 were above 15 and the age of two is unknown. A total of 13 persons died of the disease and 173 cases were monitored. One patient was isolated. Six new alarms were sounded, on the basis of five in the Western Kasai province, four in Kampungu, and one in the Katanga province (Lubumbashi).
Red Cross and Red Crescent action
Achievements against objectives
The Red Cross of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (RCDRC) contributed to breaking the chain of contamination of the disease within the community. The RCDRC strengthened the capacity of Red Cross volunteers in regards to disease management, to prevent further epidemic outbreaks. It also strengthened the community knowledge about the disease. The National Society provided a psycho-social support to the victims of the epidemic and allowed the people of Luebo and Kampungu to have access to drinking water through water chlorination. As a result, other epidemics linked to water were prevented. The RCDRC supported in the detection of all suspected cases and contacts of FHV in the province of Kasaï Occidental. The NS promoted good practices regarding individual and collective hygiene through communication to change behaviours. All these actions contributed to reducing mortality and morbidity related to the epidemic of FHV in the province of Kasaï Occidental.
