DR Congo: MSF statement on the occasion of WHO DG visit to Bunia, DRC

Country: Democratic Republic of the Congo Source: Médecins Sans Frontières Statement Of Dr Alan Gonzalez, Deputy Director Of Operations For Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) on the occasion of The High-Level Visit To Bunia, Ituri Province, Democratic Republic Of Congo, of the Director-General Of The World Health Organization Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus “Two weeks after the declaration of the Ebola disease outbreak in Ituri Province, the situation is deeply alarming and a legitimate source of anxiety for communities and frontline health workers alike. Never before has an Ebola outbreak recorded so many cases so soon after its declaration. Like everyone in the affected areas, Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders / MSF) teams are witnessing a response that has not yet caught up to the rapid spread of the epidemic. Unlike most previous Ebola disease outbreaks, this one involves the Bundibugyo virus, for which there are no approved vaccines or specific treatments, and which is particularly difficult to diagnose due to limited testing capacity. The reality today is that nobody knows the true scale and severity of this outbreak. New suspected cases are being reported daily, yet hundreds of samples remain untested. At the same time, major constraints, including border and airport closures, continue to delay the arrival of critical medical supplies, humanitarian aid, and specialized personnel. We know from experience that these measures severely hinder outbreak response, and isolate countries that urgently need international support. This outbreak is making those consequences painfully clear. The number of expert medical organizations responding on the ground is still far too limited, and the level of support being provided - including our own - falls far short of what is needed. People...

Original source: Relief Web