Health workers in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo are racing against the clock tohelp Ebola patients manage their symptoms, as well as keep themselves safe and prevent the risk of spreading the virus, while the number of cases continues to rise. All patients – suspected and confirmed – are isolated and all those who come into contact with them are supposed to wear full personal protective equipment (PPE), and use other equipment to minimise transmission. One such device is the Cube, a transparent “self-contained treatment unit for highly infectious diseases” that allows a patient to receive medical treatment without direct contact from medical staff.
Created in the aftermath of the 2014-2016 Ebola outbreak in West Africa, the Alliance for International Medical Action (Alima) designed them to allow medical staff to treat patients from outside, with the use of attached tunnel-like gloves. “You don’t need to have full PPE to be in contact with patients, so it’s a very, very important device in this kind of outbreak,” says Dr Papys Lame, Alima’s Ebola response coordinator. He tells the BBC it ensures the “necessary standard of care, a positive patient experience and the protection of healthcare workers”.
But while these are useful, there are not enough in DR Congo compared to the number of suspected cases of Ebola. According to Alima, two Cubes arrived in Bunia, the provincial capital of Ituri, the epicentre of the outbreak, over the weekend and are expected to be in use soon. Another two Cubes are on their way to the city.
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Supplies of PPE are also limited. On Friday, the International Council of Nurses (ICN) warned of shortages, saying nurses in DR Congo are “scared for their safety because they do not have the equipment to protect themselves”. The Ebola virus spreads from one person to another by contact with infected bodily fluids.
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