Equatorial Guinea Launches Ebola Prevention Campaign

MALABO, Equatorial Guinea, Aug. 14, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The government of Equatorial Guinea has created a national health crisis committee as part of its efforts to mount a campaign to prevent the spread of ebola to the country.

The ebola prevention campaign aims to purchase the necessary materials to control the infection and manage cases of infection that might arise, as well as two special ambulances to transfer ebola patients, and two thermographic cameras for the airports in Malabo and Bata. The campaign also plans to acquire 8 ambulatory hospitals (tents), train health personnel assigned to these health units and purchase drugs for palliative treatment.

The government is also considering taking body-temperature readings with laser thermometers at the country's entry points and with thermographic cameras at airports in Malabo and Bata and creating awareness campaigns for governors, the government delegates and the presidents of neighborhood communities and village councils in order to provide information down to the village level on ways to prevent the transmission of ebola.

The government will also deliver notification forms to the airports, ports and airlines; raise awareness among the population and emphasize how ebola can be transferred from infected animals to humans and from person to person; create massive awareness at the national level on protective measures through television, radio spots, churches, schools, and markets; and organize teams at the national, provincial and district levels to carry out a comprehensive campaign on the prevention of this pandemic in the provinces and districts.

Minister Diosdado Vicente Nsue Milang and the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare have been leading the campaign efforts with the cooperation of the Ministry of Information, Press and Radio, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Local Corporations, and the Ministry of Justice and Religious Affairs.

The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare of Equatorial Guinea has been proactive in implementing awareness campaigns to fight diseases affecting the African continent. Earlier this year, they implemented a comprehensive campaign to immunize the nation's children against polio. The government worked closely with World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, United Nations (UN), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Atlanta, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and others to implement this proactive campaign.

About Equatorial Guinea

The Republic of Equatorial Guinea (República de Guinea Ecuatorial) is the only Spanish-speaking country in Africa, and one of the smallest nations on the continent. In the late-1990s, American companies helped discover the country's oil and natural gas resources, which only within the last five years began contributing to the global energy supply. Equatorial Guinea is now working to serve as a pillar of stability and security in its region of West Central Africa. The country hosted the 2011 Summit of the African Union. For more information, visit http://www.guineaecuatorialpress.com.

SOURCE Republic of Equatorial Guinea