Highlights
IOM is scaling up its border surveillance efforts in response to the Ebola flare-ups in Guinea and Liberia. Additional support to 25 points of entry along the Guinea-Liberia border will include ‘Infection Prevention and Control’ supplies and training to screeners.
The Community Event-Based Surveillance system is now covering 2,470 communities in Liberia’s eight border counties. The system is designed to strengthen disease surveillance at the community level where health facilities receive disease alerts from a network of community health volunteers.
The Community Event-Based Surveillance system is now covering 2,470 communities in Liberia’s eight border counties. The system is designed to strengthen disease surveillance at the community level where health facilities receive disease alerts from a network of community health volunteers.
Situation Overview
On 29 March, the WHO declared that Ebola in West Africa is no longer a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) while acknowledging that new clusters of cases are anticipated as the virus clears from the survivor population. The latest such clusters have occurred in Liberia – with one confirmed case, and Guinea – with eight confirmed cases, as of 31 March 2016. The confirmed cases in Guinea occurred in the village of Koropara Centre, in the southern prefecture of Nzérékoré – a mere 110 kilometres from Ganta, Liberia – a high-traffic point of entry (PoE).
In response, Liberia’s Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization temporarily closed the PoEs bordering Guinea from 18 to 23 March 2016. During the closure, IOM observed irregular migration from Guinea into Liberia – highlighting the need for borders to remain open and functional in order to maintain regular health screening. IOM is taking several measures to scale up its border surveillance in Bong, Lofa, and Nimba counties at both PoEs and in border communities to support the prevention of cross border transmission of EVD (see Programme updates for details on scale-up).
Despite the WHO’s emphasis that there should be no restrictions on travel and trade with Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone – the Ivory Coast border with Liberia remains closed. The border has now been closed for 20 months. In spite of the closure, the UNHCRled voluntary repatriation of Ivorian refugees resumed in December 2015 using designated humanitarian corridors. In March, 4,095 refugees were voluntarily repatriated (UNHCR). IOM is supporting the operations with health screening at PoEs (see Programme updates).