The last Butembo’s Ebola patient(Middle) holding a medical certificate as WHO staff look on
Today, the last Ebola patient in Butembo –Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) was discharged from treatment centre, writes the Ethiopian Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization last week-end.
“This is first time in 15 months that there are no hospitalized patients in Butembo Congrats to DRC and all! But there are still cases elsewhere. Until we get to zero we are in full response mode.”
The lady in her early thirties whose name was not mentioned was all smiles upon getting a medical document confirming her Ebola free status.
Her village flocked at the treatment center to celebrate her recovery from a terrible disease in DRC.
Ebola broke out in August 2018 in Butembo, a city of North Kivu province.
A series of attacks on Ebola treatment centers in Butembo led up to the death of a policeman in March 2019 and of a doctor in April 2019. Locals mistakenly believe aid workers brought the virus to the area.
More than 102,000 people received an experimental vaccine in this period, but 843 of 1300 confirmed and probable Ebola patients died. Treatment centers were earlier torched in Butembo and Katwa, and medical professionals threatened to strike.
According to figures that were registered by World Health Organization (WHO), Mandima (Ituri), Mabalako et Beni (North Kivu) remain the most ebola prone areas in the last 21days.
Who registered 17 Ebola cases Ituri and Mabalako respectively, and 6 cases in Beni.
Since the Ebole outbreak in DRC in August 2018, a total of 3169 cases were confirmed including 2193 deaths representing 67% of all cases globally.
WHO African Region writes that bringing the Ebola cases to null in Butembo was possible thanks to Solidarity and support from donors such as China which “has been crucial to sustaining the response to end this Ebola outbreak in DRC. Health workers on-ground need full support of the international community in fight to reach zero cases.”
Congolese nationals and other Africans took to twitter to express their feelings upon hearing the good news.
Some said, that “Local (Congolese) doctors should take credit of this achievement.”
Others suggested that WHO should make sure that the medical teams in Butembo “are ready to go to any other place.”
For Fabius Mulongo, “This is only a drop in the ocean, we can do better than that.”
