Description of the disaster
In January 2016, a yellow fever outbreak was detected and confirmed in Angola, Southern Africa. Yellow fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic disease transmitted by infected mosquitoes. There are an estimated 130,000 cases of yellow fever reported yearly, causing 44,000 deaths worldwide each year, with 90 per cent occurring in Africa.1 Following cross-border population movement from Angola into neighbouring countries, exported cases were later reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). On 23 March 2016, the DRC Ministry of Health (MoH) declared an official yellow fever outbreak, with a total of 39 imported cases from Angola reported in Kongo Central and Kinshasa provinces. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), some autochthonous transmission cases have been also reported in Ndjili, Kinshasa and in Matadi, Kongo Central province. As of 11 May 2016, a total of 44 yellow fever cases have been confirmed; with 551 suspected cases reported including 167 in Kongo Central and 133 in Kinshasa. Please refer to “Figure 1: Map of yellow fever situation in the region (WHO Sit Rep)”, which provides a visual of the yellow fever situation in the Angola, which is the current epicentre of the outbreak, and the proximity with DRC.
Given the risk of spread to other areas of the DRC as well as to other neighbouring African countries, the MoH of DRC with the support of the international community have decided to undertake an emergency vaccination campaign targeting 1.9 million people in the most at-risk regions. Vaccination is the most important preventive measure against yellow fever.
Summary of the current response
Overview of Host National Society
The Red Cross of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC RC) is a neutral humanitarian organization, auxiliary to the public authorities. At the national HQ, there is an operational management structure including six technical departments and professionals trained as part of the National Disaster Response Team (NDRT). The DRC RC has provincial disaster response intervention teams (PDRT) with 110 members, a national disaster response intervention team (NDRT) with 30 members, and 10 staff members that are regional disaster response team (RDRT) trained. Moreover, the DRC RC has a pool of approximately 120,000 registered volunteers (one of the largest voluntary networks in the world), of which 60,000 are active.
Following the yellow fever outbreak, the DRC RC has carried out the following interventions:
- Identified a resource person who will be based in Kongo Central to support the implementation of activities related to the prevention and response to the yellow fever outbreak.
- Held coordination and preparation meetings related to the upcoming immunization campaign against yellow fever.
- Held volunteer briefings on yellow fever in affected health areas;
- Carried out public outreach on the risks related to the disease and behaviour to be adopted;
- Ran active search for cases within the community and referrals to the nearest health centres;
- Participated in epidemiological surveillance meetings: SURVEPI (DPS, CLUSTER);
- Focused on early detection of cases for immediate care in corresponding health areas.
Since 2014, the National Society has been developing community resilience activities in the Kongo Central province, which has been affected by the yellow fever outbreak, specifically in Nsona-Mpagu and Sekebanza, which supported the training of supervisors and volunteers in the epidemic control for volunteers (ECV) manual. Through community resilience activities, the capacity of the Kongo Central CR DRC committee has also been strengthened through the purchase of logistical assets including bicycles, motorcycles, etc.
Since 2013, Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) operations have been carried out in response to a Population Movement (MDRCD014), an Ebola Virus Disease outbreak (MDRCD015) and Floods (MDRCD016) – as such, the National Society (NS) will ensure that any lessons learned from these operations are applied (as relevant) in the response to the yellow fever outbreak.
Overview of Red Cross Red Crescent Movement in country
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) Yaoundé Country Cluster Support Team (CSST) office, and the Africa regional office, which is based in Nairobi, Kenya, have been following the situation in DRC since the declaration of the yellow fever outbreak. On 4 May 2016 an operational strategy call was convened with colleagues from the Yaoundé CCST office, Africa region, and Geneva level. It was agreed that DREF could be considered an appropriate modality to support the DRC RC respond to the yellow fever outbreak, specifically linked to the emergency vaccination campaign planned by the MoH. On 16 May 2016, an alert was issued using the IFRC disaster management information system (DMIS), which confirmed the dates of the immunization campaign (from 26 May 2016 to 4 June 2016.
Partner National Societies (PNS) include the Belgian Red Cross, Canadian Red Cross, Spanish Red Cross and Swedish Red Cross societies. In addition, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) also has extensive presence in DRC.
Overview of non-RCRC actors in country Since the outbreak of the yellow fever epidemic, the WHO has undertaken the following actions in the country:
- Since 10 May 2016, a team has been deployed to Matadi to support the local coordination in assessing the level of preparation of the campaign and ensure the support of the WHO sub office in finalizing and validating the micro-plans;
- The National Coordinating Committee arranged a successful immunization campaign in two targeted districts of Kinshasa;
- On 10 May 2016, the WHO headquarters (HQ) focal point for yellow fever arrived in the field (Kinshasa) to support the response;
- Two logisticians from WHO HQ are also expected to arrive in the field on 13 May 2016;
- Two experts from the Higher Institute of Technology (IST), including an epidemiologist and an expert in social mobilization are also being deployed;
- Support has also been provided to various Provincial Health Divisions (DPS) in the needs assessment (vaccines and other inputs), in view of an efficient response to this outbreak.
- Technical and financial support is being provided to the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) through multidisciplinary investigative missions;
- Monitoring and public outreach activities are being strengthened in Kinshasa and Kongo Central provinces.
The International Coordinating Group on Vaccine (ICG) has approved the request of the country for vaccines and operational costs and some 900,000 doses of vaccine arrived in Kinshasa on 13 May 2016. The remaining doses will be sent on 20 May 2016. It is expected that the immunization campaign will begin on 26 May 2016 and to last ten days (until 4 June 2016). Other partners such as Médécins sans Frontières (MSF) Belgium have committed to support epidemic control interventions (including a fight back campaign) in two health areas in Kongo Central (Nzanza and Matadi), as well as in the two health areas of Kinshasa. Save the Children International has equally committed to support the fight back campaign in Boma and Boma Bungu health areas in the Kongo Central province. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) shall be providing support in social mobilization with a focus on border areas.