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According to MSF-Holland, the Ebola outbreak in northeastern Congo is not yet under control after almost three months. Conflict and mistrust create challenges in the fight against the virus. "People are afraid to be treated"
The disease was declared in August in the border area between Uganda and Rwanda. Rob de Clercq, a Médecins sans frontières nurse, has been working for four weeks as a nurse in a treatment center in Mangina, the epicenter of the epidemic. "The treatment center is really only plastic tents," he says of his experiences.
The Organ Trade
The tent camp is openly built. "People can see from a distance what we do, which is necessary because there is a lot of misunderstanding within the community," De Clercq said. There are theories of fear and conspiracy that circulate. "For example, people think that we deliberately kill residents to be able to exchange organs."
According to the nurse, it is essential to remove mistrust. "We try to be very open and transparent to the public about Ebola and what we do, which is very important because people often wait too long to get help. and we can not help them anymore. "
After the previous outbreak of 2014, a vaccine was developed. More than 11,000 people have been vaccinated in the past period. Nevertheless, 118 people have already died of the virus during the new epidemic in Congo.
Inform
From the first moment a person comes to the treatment center, health care providers give many explanations. "At the first meeting, there is a doctor, a nurse and a psychologist.The psychologist explains what will happen."
If someone agrees to be cured after the explanation , two nurses, fully dressed in yellow-white suit, take the patient to one of the tents. "We take blood and investigate it in the laboratory in the tent camp. one contracted the Ebola virus within two to three hours. "
Violence
A vaccine has been available since the last major epidemic in 2014." You want to map a patient's contacts and he administer vaccines, "says de Clercq, but it is difficult because there is much agitation in the area of the epidemic. This is dangerous because of the attacks of rebel groups, so many people are fleeing.
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"It is very difficult to reduce the epidemic because people are in fact constantly on the run." It is almost impossible to know all the contacts of a patient with Ebola. We can not start active search. There are prohibited areas, because the violence ", says de Clercq
Experimental Treatment
De Clercq only works in the treatment center Until recently, no treatment was possible, for the first time in the Congo, experiments with drugs. "We have four experimental treatments chosen according to the patient. He is still in the research stage. "
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When a patient is cured, he is escorted home. "We have special care providers who accompany the patient to his village, explaining that the person is no longer in danger and that you can just touch him," says Rob.
Even people who have been healed sometimes return to camp. "We employ people who are cured, and therefore immune to disease, to accompany the sick and dispel their fear."
