UNMEER Chief Wraps up Visit to Western Guinea, “Confident” in Ability to Reach Zero Ebola Cases

Throughout most of the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, the western prefecture of Boke, Guinea, had not experienced a single case. But a recent flare up of cases there has prompted a response surge, with partners even worried about a possible spread of the virus to neighbouring Guinea-Bissau.

Today, Acting Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER) Peter Graaff wrapped up a week-long visit to Boke and Forecariah. Forecariah is another district in Guinea that has seen a recent increase in cases.

“The local leadership and responders definitely know what they’re talking about and I must say, the level of understanding and the level of confidence that I saw this time around is much, much better than before,” said Graaff, in Boke.

Graaff met with local leaders, community members and Ebola response partners in the two prefectures. He also participated in community outreach sessions and toured the new Ebola Transit Centre in Kamsar, built by UNICEF to support the nearby laboratory.

“Our biggest challenge here with regards to Ebola is getting communities to accept and cooperate,” says Boke Prefect Mohamed Lamine Doumbouya. “The best weapon we have to use for fighting Ebola is sensitization. We are hopeful that very soon Ebola will be gone from this area.”

Of 76 confirmed cases reported from Guinea and Sierra Leone between 25 May and 14 June, 69 were from three prefectures in Guinea (Boke, Dubreka, and Forecariah) and two districts in Sierra Leone (Kambia and Port Loko).

In local coordination meetings, response partners informed Graaff about their progress, for instance in establishing health checkpoints across Boke and challenges, including rumours and resistance from local communities. Representatives from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) highlighted that its workers, who are often the first to arrive on the scene of an outbreak, are blamed and attacked for the outbreak.

Taking note of these challenges, Graaff assured that the response was working: “The number of cases is dropping but more importantly in terms of the response is that the number of transmission chains is dropping, so the attention that each case can be given increases.”

“It will still take some time because there are still cases that pop up without us having them on the contact lists. The rainy season that has set upon doesn’t make moving around that much easier. So, it will take a bit of time but we’re definitely going to get there.”

Ensuring that the response is working on the ground is key to UNMEER’s transition, as the first-ever UN emergency health mission is set to wind down operations in the coming weeks.

“UNMEER was never created to get to zero cases of Ebola. UNMEER was created when the system wasn’t strong enough to respond. The situation is completely different now,” said Graaff.

“The governments are much more focused. The means are available. The partners are on the ground in large numbers...It’s really now about making sure the system is joined up and that each and every case gets the attention that it merits.”

Graaff will visit Guinea-Bissau next week to assess its preparedness in the case of an Ebola outbreak.