The Pan American Health Organisation/ World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) is mobilizing teams of experts in outbreak alert and response to help member states in Latin America and the Caribbean ensure they are prepared for any potential introduction of Ebola virus disease (EVD).
According to a press release from PAHO, these teams will visit member countries over the next two months to assess their levels of preparedness to detect, treat and control the spread of any potential imported case of Ebola. They will work along with national health authorities to assess gaps and make recommendations for addressing them. Meanwhile, PAHO/WHO will provide follow-up technical cooperation based on individual countries’ needs.
In addition, PAHO/WHO experts and experts from the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN) will be deployed if an imported case of Ebola is identified in any PAHO/WHO member country, to assist national health authorities in implementing their EVD response plans, the release said.
There have been no cases in Latin America or the Caribbean to date. However, “the risk of an imported case in the region is real,” said Dr Marcos Espinal, Director of PAHO/WHO’s Department of Communicable Diseases and Health Analysis. “It is important that our countries’ health systems be prepared to respond quickly to cases of Ebola and make sure it does not spread,” the release quoted him as saying.
Countries need to have the ability to detect a patient with symptoms: healthcare workers must be familiar with screening criteria (symptoms and history of travel/exposure) and know when to isolate patients; how to protect themselves from exposure; how to prepare and send medical specimens for testing and which laboratories are able to diagnose Ebola, the release noted. In addition, ministry officials must know how and when to carry out contact tracing.
These efforts are part of the new PAHO/ WHO Framework for Strengthen-ing National Preparedness and Response for Ebola Virus Disease in the Americas, which provides the basis for the organisation’s technical cooperation, response and resource mobilisation for the possibility of imported Ebola in the region.
They follow a meeting of technical teams in Havana, Cuba on October 29 and 30. The meeting was convened by the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of the Americas (ALBA), the Ministry of Health Cuba, and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) with the support of PAHO and WHO.
The technical teams from the various health ministries in the hemisphere, shared their plans, exchanged experiences, and examined the latest guidance and recommendations on Ebola.
The release said the focus of the exchange was on epidemiological surveillance and response, clinical management, human resources training and communication. Ultimately, the delegations agreed on lines of action in those areas discussed and pledged to continue exchanging experiences in preparing for the disease.
To date, the region has seen four registered cases of Ebola in the United States (US), two of which were imported from West Africa.
Nelson Arboleda of the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shared with the gathering, the US’s experiences with the cases and said the CDC would support PAHO/WHO preparedness missions to its member countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Meanwhile, PAHO Director Carissa F Etienne announced last week that she is appointing Dr Ronald St John as Ebola Incident Manager. Dr St. John is a Canadian national who has extensive expertise in preparedness and response in the health sector, with experience in managing public health crises.
The release said additional information on Ebola in the Americas can be found at www.paho.org/ebola.
