HIGHLIGHTS
Since October, WHO and partners have provided dedicated preparedness support to 15 priority African countries
Sierra Leone declared the end of the outbreak on 7 November
In November, UN Special Envoy on Ebola released the Overview of needs and requirements III for the Ebola Response Phase 3 Framework
KEY FIGURES
Population in Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone 20.8 million
Total cases 28,637
Deaths 11,315
FUNDING (ONR III)
US$244.5 million Required for Phase 3 (1 Nov ember 2015 – 31 March 2016)
US$ 123.2 million Received (Sep 2014 – May 2015)
US$ 123.4 million Funding gap (1 November 2015 – 31 March 2016)
Bolstering Ebola preparedness in Africa
Since October 2014, the World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners have provided dedicated preparedness support to 15 priority African countries1 to implement the necessary actions to ensure that response to the emergence of Ebola is rapid, coordinated and effective.
Based on the Comprehensive Ebola Preparedness Checklist2 - an 11-point guideline of key Ebola preparedness actions - initial baseline assessments in 2014 identified the necessary immediate steps, with preparedness activities prioritized according to each country’s context and needs.
The average implementation score across priority countries is now 55 per cent, from an initial 19 per cent in December 2014. Eighty per cent of the priority countries have implemented over half the checklist requirements.
WHO is now testing the speed and efficacy of response systems through evidence-based mechanisms using a range of simulation exercises, and strengthening preparedness for a broader range of risks and extending activities to other countries, including Guinea,
Liberia and Sierra Leone. Activities undertaken by WHO between October and December 2015 have targeted six interlinked areas: national mechanisms for coordinating health emergencies, surveillance for early detection, rapid response, outbreak operations and logistics, system testing and infection prevention and Control and occupational health and safety.