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STORY: DRC / EBOLA EYE CLINIC
TRT: 3:35
SOURCE: WHO
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH /FRENCH /SWAHILI /NATS
DATELINE: 29 - 31 March 2019, BENI, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
1. Wide shot, patients at the eye clinic in Beni
2. Various shots, Dr Shantha examining a patient
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Jessica Shantha, Assistant Professor, Emory University:
“We're examining the patients earlier than we've seen them previously. And so these patients may not have developed disease yet. So it's something that they need to be followed long-term to ensure that they don't develop complications or eye inflammation. And I think we're all still learning from the Ebola survivors and the eye disease and ocular complications.”
4. Various shots, Dr Shantha examining a patient
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Jessica Shantha, Assistant Professor, Emory University:
“I think we were able to bring some of the ultrasound equipment and different tools that check pressure and to take pictures, and also the indirect ophthalmoscope, which is something we use and we put on our head and look at the peripheral retina, those are different things that people don't necessarily have or typically use and so we've been able to teach the Congolese ophthalmologists to use those tools, but then also to show them how they might help in clinical practices.”
6. Cutaways, eye exam
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Steven Yeh, Professor, Emory University:
“We try to help with vision, we try to help with any pain and also preventive medicine is also a major consideration. So it's important for us to also to reassure them that their eyes are doing well, but it's also important to discuss with them the warning signs of eye inflammation. Reasons, like pain, redness, light sensitivity, things for which they should contact the Survivor program and their doctor, so that if a problem develops then they know that they need to seek care immediately just to make sure that we can avoid complications.”
8. Various shots, Dr Mumbere examining a patient
9. SOUNDBITE (French) Dr Telesphore Mumbere:
“In collaboration with WHO we need to see these patients every month to check on those who have received treatment, to see if there was improvement and for the others, later on if there are complications, such as we have seen today.”
10. Various shots, eye treatment
11. SOUNDBITE (Sahili) Centrine, Ebola survivor:
“I could see they were there to provide treatment. They lit up my eye. I was not scared, I understood they were taking care of my eyes. There were many people, including white people.”
12. Various shots, eye clinic
Ebola survivors in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo face number of challenges, including reduced or blurred visions stemming from inflammation of their eyes. To prevent such problems before they begin, the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization set up an eye clinic in Beni, the epicentre of the last Ebola outbreak.
The eye clinic in Beni is set up in addition to the monthly clinical, biological and psychological follow-ups that is provided to all EVD survivors in 3 clinics (Mangina, Beni and Butembo) since November 2018.
Partners in this project include Emory University, which deployed two ophthalmologists, and University of North Caroline which deployed one ophthalmologist to the project via the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network, which is hosted by WHO.
SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Jessica Shantha, Assistant Professor, Emory University:
“We're examining the patients earlier than we've seen them previously. And so these patients may not have developed disease yet. So it's something that they need to be followed long-term to ensure that they don't develop complications or eye inflammation. And I think we're all still learning from the Ebola survivors and the eye disease and ocular complications.”
Knowledge gained following the 2014-16 West Africa Ebola outbreak identified a number of challenges survivors may face, including reduced or blurred visions stemming from inflammation of their eyes. By identifying and treating these problems early, serious consequences, including blindness, can be averted. International specialists trained ten Congolese ophthalmologists on how to identify and treat these issues.
The local doctors will continue to check on the survivors’ eyesight going forward.
SOUNDBITE (French) Dr Telesphore Mumbere:
“In collaboration with WHO we need to see these patients every month to check on those who have received treatment, to see if there was improvement and for the others, later on if there are complications, such as we have seen today.”
Centrine is an Ebola survivor. She was released from a treatment centre in Beni in October last year (2018). As an Ebola survivor, she is at risk from other health challenges down the line, such as sight problems.
SOUNDBITE (Sahili) Centrine, Ebola survivor:
“I could see they were there to provide treatment. They lit up my eye. I was not scared, I understood they were taking care of my eyes. There were many people, including white people.”
Next steps will be to continue to follow up with survivors, at monthly clinics, where they are provided medical, biological and psychological care. There are currently over 300 survivors registered in the follow-up programme.
