Obstetrical Surgery in the Context of Ebola Virus Disease (Ebola) in Guinea: Lessons Learned from 2 Cases

AbstractThe largest epidemic of Ebola Virus Disease in recorded human history occurred in West Africa in 2014 and resulted in significant morbidity and mortality. The causative pathogen, Ebola virus, is readily transmitted through contact with the body fluids of infected individuals and from the bodies of those who have died from the disease. In its early stages, the illness is characterised by non-specific symptoms that mimic many other endemic infectious diseases in countries with limited healthcare resources. These factors contributed to the rapid spread of the outbreak, which required an international response in which the UK Armed Forces played an important role. This review describes the clinical presentation, lessons learned from managing the West African outbreak, and potential future treatments.

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Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation of Ebola Response Activities in Lofa County, Liberia: Some Lessons Learned

International Quarterly of Community Health Education ◽

10.1177/0272684x19846742 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 40 (1) ◽

pp. 57-66

Author(s):

Ithar Hassaballa ◽

Stephen Fawcett ◽

Charles Sepers ◽

Florence DiGennaro Reed ◽

Jerry Schultz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Evaluation System ◽

Quantitative Methods ◽

Ebola Virus ◽

Virus Disease ◽

Monitoring And Evaluation ◽

Lessons Learned ◽

Ebola Virus Disease ◽

World Health ◽

Response Effort ◽

Participatory Monitoring

To address the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children’s Fund led a multilevel and multisectoral intervention known as the Ebola response effort. Although surveillance systems were able to detect reduction in Ebola incidence, there was little understanding of the implemented activities within affected areas. To address this gap, this empirical case study examined (a) implementation of Ebola response activities and associated bending the curve of incidence of Ebola virus disease and (b) candidate factors associated with fuller implementation of the Ebola response effort. A mix of qualitative and quantitative methods were used to address these questions. A participatory monitoring and evaluation system was used to capture, code, characterize, and communicate nearly a hundred Ebola response activities implemented in Lofa County, a highly affected area in Liberia. The Ebola response effort was enabled by community engagement and collaboration across different sectors. Results showed fuller implementation corresponded with a marked reduction in Ebola virus disease. This report concludes with a discussion of how monitoring and evaluation can strengthen implementation of activities needed to address disease outbreaks.

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Lessons learned from implementation of a national hotline for Ebola virus disease emergency preparedness in South Sudan

Conflict and Health ◽

10.1186/s13031-021-00360-x ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 15 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Velma K. Lopez ◽

Sharmila Shetty ◽

Angelo Thon Kouch ◽

Matthew Tut Khol ◽

Richard Lako ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Emergency Preparedness ◽

Ebola Virus ◽

Virus Disease ◽

South Sudan ◽

Clinical Signs ◽

Signs And Symptoms ◽

Case Definition ◽

Lessons Learned ◽

Ebola Virus Disease ◽

Humanitarian Emergency

Abstract Background The world’s second largest Ebola outbreak occurred in the Democratic Republic of Congo from 2018 to 2020. At the time, risk of cross-border spread into South Sudan was very high. Thus, the South Sudan Ministry of Health scaled up Ebola preparedness activities in August 2018, including implementation of a 24-h, toll-free Ebola virus disease (EVD) hotline. The primary purpose was the hotline was to receive EVD alerts and the secondary goal was to provide evidence-based EVD messages to the public. Methods To assess whether the hotline augmented Ebola preparedness activities in a protracted humanitarian emergency context, we reviewed 22 weeks of call logs from January to June 2019. Counts and percentages were calculated for all available data. Results The hotline received 2114 calls during the analysis period, and an additional 1835 missed calls were documented. Callers used the hotline throughout 24-h of the day and were most often men and individuals living in Jubek state, where the national capital is located. The leading reasons for calling were to learn more about EVD (68%) or to report clinical signs or symptoms (16%). Common EVD-related questions included EVD signs and symptoms, transmission, and prevention. Only one call was documented as an EVD alert, and there was no documentation of reported symptoms or whether the person met the EVD case definition. Conclusions Basic surveillance information was not collected from callers. To trigger effective outbreak investigation from hotline calls, the hotline should capture who is reporting and from where, symptoms and travel history, and whether this information should be further investigated. Electronic data capture will enhance data quality and availability of information for review. Additionally, the magnitude of missed calls presents a major challenge. When calls are answered, there is potential to provide health communication, so risk communication needs should be considered. However, prior to hotline implementation, governments should critically assess whether their hotline would yield actionable data and if other data sources for surveillance or community concerns are available.

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