Harare, 11 Sept 2014 :  WHO Zimbabwe became the first WHO office in the African Region to hold an Ebola Briefing for staff members. The briefing, which was held for both country office and IST staff was conducted by technical officers who had undergone training on Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in Brazzaville.

Speaking at the briefing, WR Zimbabwe and IST/ESA Coordinator a.i. Dr David Okello said the briefing was very important as it equipped staff members with correct information on EVD. Dr Okello said WHO staff may be asked questions in communities where they live so they need to be equipped with correct and up to date information. He also urged staff members not to stigmatize people from Ebola infected countries. ‘We should isolate the Ebola virus and not countries,” said Dr Okello.  He also said he hoped that the briefing  would quell the epidemic of fear and panic that has gripped the staff, especially the issue of how to relate with colleagues who had been, and are being  posted to Ebola infected countries.

The briefing, whose objectives were:

• To share general information and answer questions  on EVD
• To empower WHO Zimbabwe staff to be able to inform the public adequately on Ebola and support Governments’ efforts aimed at managing the “fear-Ebola Mentality” that has gripped African countries
• To inform colleagues about some key actions that WHO has taken as response to the ongoing EVD outbreak in West Africa.
• brought about a lot of questions and discussions as staff members sought to understand.  The responses from the presenters helped to quell the fears that people had and at the end of the briefing one staff member, Ms Rudo Chikoto said; “We are very grateful for the briefing because it has empowered and allayed the fears we had, as well as  answered a lot of the questions that we had, especially in the face of many staff being sent to Ebola infected countries to assist in fighting the epidemic.”

EVD is a severe, often fatal illness, with a death rate of up to 90%. The illness affects humans and nonhuman primates; monkeys, gorillas, chimpanzees and fruit bats.

Ebola was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on 8 August 2014 by the WHO Director-General. The current EVD outbreak began in Guinea in December 2013 and now involves transmissions in Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone, and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

1. Dr Okello following proceedings
2. Cross section of staff following proceedings