Prevention and protection against the Ebola virus epidemic in endangered border areas of Senegal

The Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) that broke out in Guinea in December 2013 spread to several other West African countries and is being classified as a “Public Health Emergency of International Concern” by the World Health Organisation (WHO). In response to the threats posed by the spread of this disease, HOPE’87 launched a project in Senegal that aimed at strengthening the prevention and protection mechanisms against the Ebola Virus Disease in the southern border areas of Senegal, namely in the seven rural communities of Linkéring, Pakour, Wassadou, Kounkané, Diaobé-Kabendou, Médina Chérif and Mampatim. The project fully supported the national response strategy against Ebola and aimed at implementing the necessary measures, particularly in the rural areas of the aforementioned communities that were yet reached by preventive measures but were particularly at risk due to lack of awareness of transmission rates and uncontrolled border movements. The project approach integrated several components of preventive measures against the spread of EBV. On the one hand, it aimed at training health staff in the region regarding the key facts, identification and transmission of EBV. Health posts in the targeted area were equipped with hygiene and protection kits. On the other hand, the project focused on sensitisation and social mobilization of the targeted communities by informing and educating the general public about the nature of the disease, the containment strategy and required behaviour during the epidemic.