With support of the Government of Japan, IOM recently donated materials, such as tents, separation corridors, thermoflashes, tables, chairs, soap, chlorine, handwashing stations and other related materials, for the opening of 26 Ebola screening checkpoints in coastal areas in Guinea. This follows the donation of 40 motorbikes to seven district health authorities in the same areas to support community surveillance activities, and trainings for health workers, volunteers and port authorities.

These activities serve to advance the goal of ongoing Government of Japan-IOM cooperation in terms of minimizing cross-border Ebola transmission within Guinea, Mali, Ivory Coast and Senegal, reinforcing border health capacities and supporting communities in the fight against Ebola and other communicable diseases. Transmission in maritime areas and at smaller ports has been a particular challenge, considering logistical challenges, distances between points of entry and primary health facilities and the number of travelers in these areas.

“Thanks to the generous support from the Government of Japan, IOM has been able to contribute to efforts to enhance Government capacities at points of entry as well as in the prevention of communicable diseases among mobile populations,” said Kabla Amihere, IOM Chief of Mission in Guinea. “As the current Ebola epidemic has shown, communicable diseases know no borders, and efforts must be sustained in order to prevent their cross-border transmission,” he added.

Over the course of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak in December 2013, over 3,792 people have been infected by EVD in Guinea. As of 30 August 2015, a total of 1,270 confirmed cases have received treatment from the Ebola Treatment Centres (ETC) and 2,529 deaths have been confirmed. Although the number of cases has declined dramatically since the peak of the epidemic, new cases are still reported in Guinea, and much work remains to reach zero cases and reinforcing health systems in order to reduce the risk of future outbreaks. IOM and its partners remain committed to supporting the Government of Guinea in this effort.

Since the beginning of the outbreak, IOM has focused its support to affected populations and the Government in reinforcing coordination structures at sub-national level, a wide variety of activities aimed at reinforcing primary health systems in border areas, increasing capacities at points of entry, mapping mobility in vulnerable areas and supporting communities in surveillance of new cases.

Going forward, IOM will continue its engagement in the recovery phase, including continued work along borders to reinforce Government and community capacities to detect new cases, reinforcing primary health systems, assisting in the process of socio-economic recovery from the effects of the epidemic and providing specialized assistance to survivors.

For further information, please contact Yohei Komura, Project Manager, Tel.: +224 628 477 416, Email: ykomura@iom.int, or Bradley Mellicker, Emergency Coordinator in Guinea, Tel.: +224 628 477 443, Email: bmellicker@iom.int