Guinea - IOM has taken part in efforts to prevent the potential spread of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) following the death of a 35-year-old woman who succumbed to the virus at Kindoyah, near Tana village in Guinea.

IOM’s interventions were implemented as part of a response effort led by the Prefectural Emergency Operations Center of Forecariah, under the auspices of the National Emergency Operations Center of Guinea, WHO, UNICEF, WFP and other partners.

The Guinean government asked IOM to install a new health screening point at Tana’s main entrance – two days after the death was reported.

Two IOM flow monitoring point agents were trained and deployed to ensure health screening and monitoring of population movements. In addition, IOM will participate in door-to-door daily medical screening and awareness raising campaign for EVD prevention.

“The public health observation zone (micro cerclage) of Tana will include five villages, all of which are located around Tana and will affect 80 to 100 households, meaning 620 people,” explained Dr. Abdourahmane Bachily, Prefectural Coordinator for the Ebola Response in Forecariah.

According to government protocols, populations living inside the observation zone are asked to reduce their movements for 21 days (corresponding to the EVD incubation period) in order to receive medical follow-up that includes temperature check twice a day and sensitization on EVD to ensure early detection of  suspected cases to prevent further transmission.

“To support the Guinean government in its fight against EVD, IOM has established health screening points in border areas and mobility hotspots such as markets, where all passersby have their temperatures checked and are asked to give information on their movements. For example, IOM undertakes health screening for each person going to Tana market and the surrounding villages,” said Kabla Amihere, IOM Chief of Mission in Guinea.

With the support of USAID and OFDA, as well as other partners, IOM Guinea has been providing support to the government through the National/Prefectural Emergency Coordination and has implemented activities to strengthen health surveillance mechanisms at borders through its Health, Border and Mobility Management (HBMM) services project. HBMM interventions include flow monitoring and community mobilization to enhance epidemiologic surveillance for early detection of the EVD in land borders, coastal zones and major transportation corridors.

For further information, please contact Lola Simonet at IOM Guinea, Tel: +224 625 25 94 94, Email: lsimonet@iom.int.