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The Médecins Sans Frontières Intervention in the Marburg Hemorrhagic Fever Epidemic, Uige, Angola, 2005. II. Lessons Learned in the Community

2007; Oxford University Press; Volume: 196; Issue: s2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1086/520544

1537-6613

Paul Roddy, David Weatherill, Benjamin Jeffs, Zohra Abaakouk, Claire Dorion, Josefa Rodriguez‐Martinez, Pedro Pablo Palma, Olimpia de la Rosa, Luís Villa, Isabel Grovas, Matthias Borchert,

Health and Conflict Studies

From 27 March 2005 onwards, the independent humanitarian medical aid agency Médecins Sans Frontières, together with the World Health Organization, the Angolan Ministry of Health, and others, responded to the Marburg hemorrhagic fever (MHF) outbreak in Uige, Angola, to contain the epidemic and care for those infected. This response included community epidemiological surveillance, clinical assessment and isolation of patients with MHF, safe burials and disinfection, home-based risk reduction, peripheral health facility support, psychosocial support, and information and education campaigns. Lessons were learned during the implementation of each outbreak control component, and the subsequent modifications of protocols and strategies are discussed. Similar to what was seen in previous filovirus hemorrhagic fever outbreaks, the containment of the MHF epidemic depended on the collaboration of the affected community. Actively involving all stakeholders from the start of the outbreak response is crucial.