This is the first situation report from the Interagency Collaboration on Ebola.
This report replaces situation reports previously produced by UNMEER.
KEY POINTS
In week ending 2 August, two confirmed cases of Ebola virus disease have been reported: one in Guinea and one in Sierra Leone. This is the second week in a row that new case numbers have been in single digits.
On 31 July, the UN Secretary-General announced the completion of UNMEER’s mission and commencement of WHO’s responsibility for oversight of the UN system’s Ebola emergency response in West Africa as of 1 August.
WHO and partners have reported that they are on the verge of an effective vaccine against EVD.
Operations developments
On 31 July, UNMEER closed having achieved its core objective of scaling up the response and establishing unity of purpose among responders in support of nationallyled efforts. As of 1 August, WHO is responsible for oversight of the UN system’s Ebola emergency response under the direct authority of the WHO Director-General. To maintain the high-level, dedicated UN leadership needed to get to and sustain zero cases, the UNMEER Ebola Crisis Managers will remain in the countries under the oversight of WHO and with the support of the UN Resident Coordinators and UN country teams. David Nabarro, the Secretary General’s Special Envoy on Ebola will continue to provide strategic guidance for the response. UN agencies, funds and programmes, OCHA, the UN Mission in Liberia and national and international partners have undertaken the necessary steps to enable a seamless transition.
The High Level Panel on Global Response to Health Crises arrived in Conakry on 2 August. While in Guinea, they met with the Prime Minister and key partners. The Panel will be in the region till 6 August and will also travel to Sierra Leone and Liberia. The High Level Panel, appointed by the UN Secretary-General, is expected to make recommendations on how to strengthen national and international systems to prevent and manage future health crises. These recommendations will take into account lessons learned from the response to the outbreak of Ebola virus disease.