COVID-19 in Senegal: Working with communities to protect and care for the most vulnerable
While the number of new cases is decreasing in Senegal, ALIMA teams are not lowering their guard against the virus. After having participated in the medical management of confirmed cases in Dakar, the capital, ALIMA directs its activities towards those most vulnerable to the virus by working closely with communities to reduce the risks.
Mental health as a key component of COVID-19 care
In September 2020, 111 health care personnel from the COVID-19 treatment center at the Donka Hospital in Conakry, Guinea, were trained by ALIMA (The Alliance for International Medical Action) in the psychosocial management of psychological distress in the context of COVID-19. Jacob Gaouly, technical referent for mental health and psychosocial support for ALIMA in Guinea, who organizes these trainings, explains more.
COVID-19 in Guinea: “I hit the road the same day” Testimony of a hygienist
“Wash your hands. Turn towards me. Turn around. Remove your smock. Throw it into the trash. Wash your hands. Remove your first pair of gloves. Throw them in the trash. Wash your hands.”
These are the words of Soullo Iffono. The 37-year-old is a hygienist for ALIMA, in charge of disinfection at the undressing station of the COVID-19 treatment center within Donka Hospital, in Conakry, Guinea.
COVID-19 in Cameroon: The challenge of integrating mental health care into the pandemic response
As many countries prepare for a potential second wave of COVID-19, the spread of the virus in Africa continues to grow. In Cameroon, faced with fear or denial of the disease, ALIMA (The Alliance for International Medical Action) provides psychological support to patients and health workers at the Central Hospital in Yaoundé.
DRC: ALIMA responds to the country’s 11th Ebola outbreak
Following the declaration of the 11th outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on June 1, 2020, ALIMA (The Alliance for International Medicine Action) launched an emergency response to support the Ministry of Health’s fight against this deadly hemorrhagic fever.
COVID-19 in Burkina Faso: “We should not claim victory early, but instead we should move step by step.”
In Burkina Faso, where COVID-19 was declared on March 9, 2020, ALIMA (The Alliance for International Medical Action) and its local NGO partners KEOOGO and SOS Médecins Burkina Faso began supporting the Ministry of Health at the “Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Tengandogo” in Ouagadougou, the country’s capital. Dr. Eudoxie Koumbem is one of the 133 medical and hygienic staff of the consortium working to ensure quality care. By mid-June, more than 80% of the COVID-19 confirmed patients received at the hospital had been cured. Dr. Eudoxie tells us more.
DR CONGO: END OF THE 10TH EBOLA OUTBREAK – LESSONS LEARNED
As the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) officially declared the end of the 10th Ebola outbreak in the east of the country on June 25, 2020, the population is facing a new outbreak – some 1,000 kilometers to the west in Equateur Province, as well as the global COVID-19 pandemic, throughout the country. Within the health structures set up by ALIMA in 2018 in the provinces of North Kivu and Ituri, health workers and communities are organizing the response.
Fears of a double health crisis as the COVID-19 epidemic continues to accelerate in Africa
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact Africa, the situation remains worrying, particularly in the most fragile countries.
COVID-19: “We had to adapt very quickly and find new solutions to guarantee the safety of our teams in the field”
Oumy Mbaye has been working as ALIMA’s Supply Manager for the past three years. Based at our headquarters in Dakar, Senegal, Oumy has carried out several missions in the field: in Cameroon, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo as part of the Ebola outbreak response, and in Nigeria and the Central African Republic, on behalf of the logistics department. We spoke with Oumy about her work, including her most recent mission: supporting the logistical operations of the COVID-19 response in Senegal.
“At the moment, solidarity remains a major asset in dealing with the situation.”
Interview with Valérie Chanfreau, ALIMA’s mental health specialist
