The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is supporting efforts to contain an ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo through rapid and flexible funding.
As health authorities and humanitarian organisations intensify the response, an innovative treatment facility known as the CUBE is providing care to Ebola patients while reducing the risk of exposure among health workers.
The facility is managed jointly by the government and international non-governmental organisation ALIMA. According to OCHA, the CUBE is designed to allow medical personnel to provide critical care without having to wear full protective equipment throughout their work.
Fadwa Benmbarek, OCHA Deputy Head of Office in the DRC, said the facility also enables patients to maintain contact with their relatives during treatment.
“This Ebola treatment centre is currently managed by the INGO ALIMA, which has developed the CUBE, a transparent care unit where health workers are able to provide critical care to Ebola patients without having to wear full protective equipment,” she said.
“Most importantly, it allows patients and their families to be able to communicate.”
The CUBE can be deployed rapidly in areas affected by Ebola outbreaks and, according to OCHA, can reduce treatment-centre costs by up to 75 per cent compared with conventional structures.
The facility is also designed to accommodate patients requiring specialised medical attention, including newborn babies and those in critical condition.
OCHA said its flexible funding mechanism is helping humanitarian partners respond quickly to the outbreak while supporting health workers and affected communities.
The use of the CUBE forms part of broader efforts to strengthen Ebola treatment capacity and limit transmission as health authorities continue to respond to the outbreak.
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