Highlights
· In the past two weeks, the number of confirmed cases of Ebola rose by one (WHO Ebola SitRep 572), however with no more occurrence of EVD infection the countdown to at least 48 days of no new confirmed EVD cases has started.
· On 5 November 2015, the Ministry of Health through the National Expanded Programme on Immunization (EIP), with the support of UNICEF and other health partners, launched a new polio vaccine to better protect children in Guinea against the crippling and sometimes fatal disease.
· UNICEF continued to conduct and support back-to-school preparations in advance of the reopening of schools for the start of the new academic year on 9 November 2015. The Ministry of Education has issued strict guidance on the importance of applying Ebola prevention protocols to protect all pupils and staff from the virus. Among many initiatives, UNICEF and NGO partners engaged in social mobilization activities in 14 prefectures to promote mass enrolment in school – and of girls in particular.
· UNICEF supported training for 30 health workers from Siguiri’s 15 health centres in the integrated management of acute malnutrition. This is part of the response to the SMART nutrition survey’s findings which showed the prevalence of acute malnutrition in Siguiri is very close to the crisis level of 15 per cent.
· In the past two weeks, UNICEF and partners sensitized 47,240 households about Ebola prevention in the prefectures of Boké, Boffa, Fria, Dubréka, Forécariah, Coyah and Conakry.
· UNICEF is supporting the National Coordination for the Ebola Response in providing care to Ebola survivors. It is also involved in a project to integrate UN and Government emergency logistics networks, and in a partner-wide rapid response mechanism in case of any future disease outbreaks or Ebola flare-ups.