Ebola disease outbreak: MSF’s expertise in action

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Dear Friend,

The Ebola crisis currently unfolding in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda has escalated significantly since I wrote to you last week. Over the weekend the World Health Organization raised its risk assessment of the situation turning into a national outbreak in the DRC to "very high". 

So far, the DRC has officially reported over 900 suspected cases and at least 119 suspected deaths. In Uganda there have been five confirmed cases, including one death. 

As I write, hundreds of Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) staff are rapidly scaling up our response to this Ebola disease outbreak. In the DRC’s Ituri province alone more than 50 international staff are arriving in affected locations, to work alongside around 480 locally hired staff. Please donate to our emergency fund which enables us to respond rapidly in crises such as these.

MSF is also sending tens of thousands of personal protective equipment (PPE) sets containing essential items to protect staff such as gloves, masks, goggles, gowns, and protective boots to affected areas. 3,000 sets of PPE already arrived in Bunia, Ituri province on 19 May. Another 60,000 sets are due to arrive by the end of this week. 

This Ebola disease outbreak is spreading across the Ituri and North Kivu provinces, including in the capital city Goma.  

A lack of diagnostic tools and treatment options makes it particularly challenging for healthcare workers to respond. On top of that, ongoing conflict has displaced millions of people from their homes, making already under-resourced healthcare even harder to access.  

There is also limited testing and underreporting of cases which means the true scale of this outbreak remains unknown, and it’s harder to identify infected individuals, trace contacts and isolate people to prevent further spread. 

Managing this outbreak is also challenging because the Bundibugyo virus has no approved treatments or vaccines. It kills up to 40 per cent of the people who become infected. 

Your support for our staff and patients means we can continue to push ahead in challenging circumstances like these to help the people who need us most. Please will you make a donation today?

But difficult doesn't mean impossible when it comes to containing this outbreak.  

MSF has a lot of experience in responding to Ebola disease outbreaks as we have been an active partner in the response in many of the 16 previous outbreaks in the DRC. That includes the Bundibugyo virus disease outbreak of 2012, as well as the one in Uganda in 2007. 

In the absence of targeted treatment, patient care relies primarily on symptom management and supportive care aimed at improving patients’ chances of survival: fluid replacement, oxygen therapy, and monitoring of blood and cardiac parameters.

Our response to an outbreak such as this typically comprises of six main pillars:

• care and isolation of patients 
• tracing and follow up of patient contacts  
• raising community awareness of the disease such as how to prevent it and where to seek care 
• conducting safe burials 
• proactively detecting new cases 
• supporting existing health structures

Importantly, MSF will also work to ensure strict prevention measures are in place in its existing projects to protect our patients, our staff, and people’s access to healthcare. 

No matter how long this Ebola disease outbreak lasts, we are committed to continuing to provide medical and humanitarian assistance for as long as possible. Friend, by giving a gift today, your support helps us be where the need is greatest across the world. 

Ebola is not the only crisis we are responding to today. MSF responds to many different kinds of global emergencies and our lifesaving work in over 70 countries is only possible because of the generous support of people like you. We don’t take money from governments, and that means we can respond to a crisis as soon as it hits, remain independent, and urgently help those who need us most.  

Thank you for showing your care and concern for people in the DRC and Uganda at this particularly challenging time. 

With gratitude,