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Guterres voiced concerns on Wednesday over the number of new Ebola cases in eastern DRC, reiterating UN support for efforts to end the epidemic. ;epidemic".
"While significant changes are taking place in the response, the Secretary-General has reaffirmed his commitment to a collective approach at the UN level in Kinshasa, where the UN is led by the United Nations. its Special Representative, and in areas affected by the virus, where the response is led by WHO [World Health Organization], all in close liaison with Congolese leaders in Kinshasa and in eastern DRC, "said his deputy spokesman, Farhan Haq, in a statement on behalf of the UN chief.
The full involvement and commitment of local people remains the key – Head of the United Nations
Guterres extended his condolences to the families of the victims and reiterated that the involvement and unwavering commitment of the local population "remains the key to effectively controlling the epidemic".
He also urged "all Congolese leaders to work together, through parties and communities, to fight the epidemic".
"At this critical juncture," Guterres stressed the need for "additional resources" and called on Member States and partner organizations "to ensure that the agencies surveyed have the resources to succeed."
The Secretary-General congratulated the government, the institutions and the Congolese people themselves for the comprehensive response to the present, which has limited the epidemic in parts of two provinces, which are home to many armed groups who fought and fought for years.
He also praised "the bravery of security, health and humanitarian workers who risked their lives in a difficult environment marked by conflict and insecurity," including attacks on treatment centers. Ebola and health facilities, and acknowledged their work of vaccinating more than 100,000 people and saving the lives of hundreds of people who contracted the disease.
Life-saving vaccinations
At the same time, in a context of ongoing violence, WHO experts (SAGE) have recommended new Ebola vaccination guidelines to address the challenge of curbing the virus.
Since the outbreak declaration in August 2018, the WHO said that despite the use of a highly effective vaccine, the number of new cases continues to increase, in part due to repeated violence, which prevented response teams from identifying and immediately creating vaccination rings. around all people at risk of contracting the Ebola virus.
"We know that vaccination saves lives in this outbreak," said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, but "we still struggle to ensure that contacts in each case receive the vaccine. as quickly as possible".
"These recommendations reflect ongoing insecurity and incorporate input from experts and affected communities that will help us continue to adapt the response," he said.
Among other things, the new SAGE recommendations support targeted contextual and geographic vaccination approaches where appropriate; advise to vaccinate those likely to be exposed, for example in areas where cases have been reported in the last 21 days; and adjusting the current dose to ensure that the vaccine remains available to those most at risk of Ebola.
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