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Health officials say rapid Ebola response underway; Bounia lab diagnosing cases
Summary
Agency officials reported an urgent Ebola response, plans to develop an Ebola treatment facility into a referral centre, and that a public-health laboratory in Bounia has been diagnosing Ebola virus disease since May 17 after reagents were supplied.
Agency officials said a rapid response to an ongoing Ebola outbreak is underway and that local diagnostic capacity in Bounia is now operational.
"Le temps presse et on travaille dans nos équipes... travaillent en étroite collaboration avec les ministères de la santé, nos partenaires de l'Africa CDC ... pour mettre en place une riposte robuste," said an agency official (Speaker 1), describing coordination with national health ministries and Africa CDC as teams mobilize to respond to the outbreak.
The official added that efforts are focused on establishing a sustained, high-quality clinical response. "Nous voulons vraiment à terme faire de ce centre de traitement des maladies à virus Ebola, un centre de référence où les [patients] peuvent être pris en charge de manière adéquate ... pour pouvoir continuer à la réduction de la mortalité liée à cette maladie," an agency official (Speaker 2) said, outlining a plan to develop the treatment facility into a regional referral centre to reduce Ebola-related deaths.
Officials also reported an improvement in laboratory diagnostics. "Nous avons un laboratoire normé ... à Bounia, c'est un laboratoire qui peut faire le diagnostic à [la] maladie à virus Ebola depuis les 17 mai," said an agency official (Speaker 3), adding that the laboratory had been installed earlier but diagnostic work was delayed until reagents arrived. The official said the lab now receives and confirms samples regularly.
The briefing did not specify a timetable for designating the treatment centre as a formal regional referral facility, the number of beds available at the centre, or the precise inventory of reagents delivered. Funding sources, implementing agencies, and any planned external support were not specified in the transcript.
Officials emphasized coordination with ministries and international partners and said the response aims to ensure patients receive timely, quality care while diagnostic capacity in Bounia remains active.
