This Ebola situation in Congo is getting more worrying now,especially after Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus,the Director-General of World Health Organisation (WHO),personally went there to check response on ground . And honestly,when WHO chief himself is visiting during outbreak,it tells you pressure is not small ah .
He arrived in Kinshasa on Thursday and met local authorities,including Lieutenant-General Johnny Luboya Nkashama,the Governor of Ituri province . Same Ituri province is seeing highest number of Ebola cases right now,so focus is clearly there.
Outbreak has been caused by Bundibugyo virus,and that already makes situation serious . But what is making it worse is not just virus itself. There is conflict,insecurity,food shortages,displacement of people and community mistrust also mixed into whole thing .
And this is where public health work becomes very hard. Doctors and health teams can have plans,but if people are scared,displaced,or do not trust officials,response becomes slow and messy.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called situation "very complex" and pushed for better coordination among all health and humanitarian organizations involved in response . He also reassured affected communities that they are not alone in this battle against Ebola .
Few things standing out clearly here:
- Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is visiting Congo during ongoing Ebola outbreak caused by Bundibugyo virus.
- Ituri province,led by Lieutenant-General Johnny Luboya Nkashama,is currently seeing highest number of Ebola cases.
- India has pledged support and medical supplies have already been dispatched to Africa CDC .
India’s role also came up in this whole emergency . Randhir Jaiswal,a spokesperson for Ministry of External Affairs of India,said during media briefing that India is ready to continue helping affected countries with medical supplies and resources.
Those supplies were delivered to Africa CDC’s office by Indian High Commissioner in Uganda,Upender Singh Rawat . It is good to see this kind of support coming in,but at same time,outbreak control depends on what happens inside affected communities only .
Because if insecurity and mistrust keep blocking health workers,even best supplies and outside help may not be enough quickly . For people living there,this is not some distant health update,it is daily fear,confusion and survival…
And now question is whether all these groups can actually work together fast enough before outbreak spreads further…
