As of March 14, 2021, 12 confirmed patients have been admitted to the Infectious Disease Treatment Center (CT-Epi) in N’Zérékoré. Three are currently still hospitalized there, four people have died, and five have recovered. These are the first confirmed cases of Ebola in the country since the end of the 2014-2016 epidemic, which the World Health Organization says infected more than 28,000 people in West Africa, including 3,800 in Guinea.
ALIMA is calling for support to the ongoing response to help control the spread of the outbreak and ensure patient care by installing additional beds.
A donation of €144 / $172 will add two beds within the Infectious Disease Treatment Center.
In support of the current outbreak in Guinea, ALIMA specialists, in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Guinea’s National Agency for Health Security (ANSS), are providing care and treatment of suspected and confirmed patients, as well as the provision of medications and other life-saving medical supplies to affected communities.
ALIMA currently cares for patients at the CT-Epi in N’Zérékoré, and plans to increase its capacity from 15 to 35 beds. The NGO will also set up a ward dedicated to the most critically ill, through the installation of six CUBEs. The CUBE is a biosecure intensive care unit for outbreaks of highly-infectious diseases, which was developed by ALIMA following lessons learned during the West Africa outbreak. It provides the necessary medical technology to care for patients and better protects health care workers.
In a research trial implemented by ALIMA and its partners in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (2018-2019), two molecules (REGN-EB3 and mAb114) were found to be effective against Ebola: the reduction in Ebola-related mortality drops from 70% to less than 20%. Patients treated at the CT-Epi in N’Zérékoré and in the CUBEs will be treated with one of these two therapeutic molecules. The CUBEs allow for safe administration of the treatment for the patients.
“Given ALIMA’s experience responding to Ebola, lessons learned from past epidemics and the new tools we have acquired – two effective treatments and innovative care units, such as the CUBE – our teams are well-placed to support the Ministry of Health-led response. They will do everything possible to provide the best possible care for patients infected with the Ebola virus, while reinforcing the capacity of national health workers,” said Dr. Abdoul Bing, Medical Coordinator for ALIMA in Guinea.
Cover photo: © Léa Ledru / ALIMA
