Ebola haemorrhagic fever in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Ministry of Health of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with the support of international partners, is continuing field investigations to determine the extent of the outbreak of Ebola haemorrhagic fever in the province of Kasai Occidental.
The following photo gallery provides an initial look at the Ebola response. Our photographer Christopher Black is in Western Kasai province and will be filing more photos in the days ahead.
Social mobilization teams in Kananga, the capital of Kasai Occidental province, use community radio to spread messages about prevention of Ebola haemorrhagic fever to local people. Radio is a vital link to the remote communities in the region.
At the MSF isolation ward near Kampungu, Zoë Young from MSF Belgium (right) transfers blood samples from a suspected case of Ebola haemorrhagic fever to Dr Dominique Legros, medical epidemiologist from WHO. The samples are transported to the field laboratory of the US-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in nearby Luebo, which will soon be operational.
Dr Vital Mondonge Makuma from the Ministry of Health (left), Dr Sabue Mulangu from the Institute Nationale pour Recherce Biomedicale in Kinshasa (centre) and Dr Dominique Legros from WHO carry out surveillance activities at a small health centre near the village of Bakua Mayi, some 15 km north of Kampungu.
Dr Vital Mondonge Makuma from the Ministry of Health (left), Dr Sabue Mulangu from the Institute Nationale pour Recherce Biomedicale in Kinshasa (centre) and Dr Dominique Legros from WHO carry out surveillance activities at a small health centre near the village of Bakua Mayi, some 15 km north of Kampungu.
Eugene Kabambi (with white cap) from the WHO Office for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Cristiana Salvi (in black jacket) from the WHO Office in Rome distribute information about Ebola haemorrhagic fever to villagers at Kakenge, 55 km from Mweka. The road from Kananga to the town of Mwake is about 230 km, but because the roads are difficult, it can take 10 hours by car.
WHO staff members distribute information about Ebola haemorrhagic fever to villagers at Kakenge. People in these remote places are anxious to receive information about the disease and how to prevent its spread.
WHO team members load medical laboratory supplies in Kananga. The supplies are part of the Canadian mobile field laboratory to be set up in Mweka. The laboratory will be attached to the existing MSF isolation ward to expedite the diagnosis of patients and to differentiate between the different pathogens that have also been associated with this outbreak.
A woman with her child waits for treatment at a small health centre near the village of Bakua Mayi, some 15 km north of Kampungu.
A villager in Kakenge reads a leaflet about Ebola haemorrhagic fever and its prevention. The Ministry of Health produced the leaflet in collaboration with WHO.
Medical experts collect data at the Lunkelu health centre in Luebo as part of the surveillance for Ebola. Health teams visit each health centre to detect any new cases or to check if anyone in contact with known Ebola patients has become ill. The collected data is analysed daily by the Ministry of Health and WHO.
An MSF health worker talks to family and community members in front of the MSF isolation ward near Kampungu. The ward was constructed to safely care for people suffering Ebola.
Medical experts from several organizations are working at the MSF isolation ward.
