Brazzaville (AFP)
The World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday called on UN partners in Brazzaville, mainly the nine countries bordering the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to show "solidarity" in the fight against the epidemic. Ebola that has already killed more than 1,930 people in this country.
"The time has come for all partners, including the nine neighboring countries of the DRC, to show solidarity in blocking the spread of Ebola," said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyessus, Director General of WHO. .
"The regional strategy for disease surveillance and response is so important, it (?) Can fill any gaps," he said.
"Ebola is a health emergency that is complex," in the DRC where health workers sometimes face insecurity in the affected areas and the lack of trust of some communities, he said.
Dr. Ghebreyessus took part Monday in Brazzaville at the 69th Session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa, which will be marked by the election of the new director of WHO / Africa, which is based in the Congolese capital.
At least 400 participants, including 47 ministers of health of the continent, take part in this session, whose meeting was inaugurated by Congolese President Denis Sassou Nguesso.
"Ebola is a preventable and treatable disease, we have a vaccine that is more than 97% effective and drugs that are more than 90%," said the Director General of WHO.
In addition, a Japanese team specializing in emergency response to infectious diseases will be deployed from Friday.
It should allow for the strengthening of quarantine and participation in other relevant activities to prevent the spread of the epidemic, announced the Embassy of Japan in the DRC.
In July, the WHO emergency committee raised the tenth Ebola epidemic in the DRC as a public health emergency of international concern.
This epidemic has already killed more than 1,934 people in the DRC where it is prevalent in the eastern part, bordering Uganda, Rwanda or Burundi.
© 2019 AFP