WHO Response to Disease Outbreaks in Liberia: Lessons learned from the 2014 - 2015 Ebola Virus Disease Outbreak

This special issue of the Pan African Medical Journal documents the successful application of lesson learnt from response to the Ebola virus disease outbreak in Liberia and identifies some best practices that could be applied to other disease prevention, control and elimination programmes with similar success. The papers, written by those who were actively engaged in response to epidemics in Liberia, cover critical topics in from preparedness and response to disease outbreaks, strengthening surveillance systems and integration as well as strengthening health workforce post Ebola virus disease outbreak. The comprehensive analysis of the success stories made in disease control and epidemic response in Liberia with clear discussion of accompanying challenges presented in this special edition is extremely useful and timely. The articles carefully chart the successes in turning tragedy to gains!

Guest editors: Ibrahima-Soce Fall (Regional Emergency Director, WHO Regional Office for Africa), Joseph C Okeibunor (Regional Social Scientist, WHO Regional Office for Africa), Alex Gasasira (WHO Representative, Liberia)

Contact: Okeibunor Joseph Chukwudi (okeibunorj@who.int)

Contents

	Ebola virus disease outbreak in Liberia: application of lessons learnt to disease surveillance and control Ibrahima Socé Fall The outbreak of Ebola virus infection in West Africa countries, including Liberia, was the largest on record in terms of the unprecedented number of reported cases (n= 28,616), out of which 15,227 were confirmed and 11,310 deaths in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone and its' rapid transmission in de ... Only the 300 first characters of this abstract are displayed here - 24 May 2019 [Full text] [PDF in process]
	Strengthening acute flaccid paralysis surveillance post Ebola virus disease outbreak 2015 - 2017: the Liberia experience Adolphus Clarke, Nicholas Blidi, Bernice Dahn, Chukwuemeka Agbo, Roland Tuopileyi, Monday Julius Rude, Goerge Sie Williams, Mohammed Seid, Alex Gasasiraa, Zakari Wambai, Laura Skrip, Thomas Nagbe, Tolbert Nyenswah, Okeibunor Joseph Chukwudi, Ticha Johnson, Ambrose Talisuna, Ali Ahmed Yahaya, Soatiana Rajatonirina, Ibrahima Socé Fall Liberia remains at high risk of poliovirus outbreaks due to importation. The country maintained certification level acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) surveillance indicators each year until 2014 due to Ebola outbreak. During this time, there was a significant drop in non-polio AFP rate to (1.2/100,000 ... Only the 300 first characters of this abstract are displayed here - 27 May 2019 [Full text] [PDF in process]
	The implementation of integrated disease surveillance and response in Liberia after Ebola virus disease outbreak 2015-2017 Thomas Nagbe, Jeremias Domingos Naiene, Julius Monday Rude, Nuha Mahmoud, Mohammed Kromah, Jeremy Sesay, Joseph Chukwudi Okeibunor, Mary Stephen, Ambrose Talisuna, Ali Ahmed Yahaya, Soatiana Rajatonirina, Musoka Fallah, Tolbert Nyenswah, Bernice Dahn, Alex Gasasira, Ibrahima Socé Fall Although Liberia adapted the integrated diseases surveillance and response (IDSR) in 2004 as a platform for implementation of International Health Regulation (IHR (2005)), IDSR was not actively implemented until 2015. Some innovations and best practices were observed during the implementation of I ... Only the 300 first characters of this abstract are displayed here - 28 May 2019 [Full text] [PDF in process]

Research Risk communication during disease outbreak response in post-Ebola Liberia: experiences in Sinoe and Grand Kru counties John Sumo, Geraldine George, Vera Weah, Laura Skrip, Julius Monday Rude, Peter Clement, Jeremias Domingos Naiene, Liliane Luwaga, Joseph Chukwudi Okeibunor, Ambrose Talisuna, Ali Ahmed Yahaya, Soatiana Rajatonirina, Musoka Fallah, Tolbert Nyenswah, Bernice Dahn, Alex Gasasira, Ibrahima Socé Fall Pan Afr Med J. 2019; 33(Suppl 2): 4, 28 May 2019 [Full text] [PDF in process]

Research Strengthening immunization service delivery post Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in Liberia 2015-2017 Adolphus Clarke, Nicholas Blidi, Joseph Yokie, Mary Momolu, Chukwuemeka Agbo, Roland Tuopileyi, Julius Monday Rude, Mohammed Seid, Yohannes Dereje, Zakari Wambai, Alex Gasasiraa, Laura Skrip, Ngozi Kennedy, Evans Lablah, Joseph Chukwudi Okeibunor, Mamoudou Harouna Djingarey, Ambrose Talisuna, Ali Ahmed Yahaya, Soatiana Rajatonirina, Ibrahima Socé Fall Pan Afr Med J. 2019; 33(Suppl 2): 5, 28 May 2019 [Full text] [PDF in process]

Research Rapid response to meningococcal disease cluster in Foya district, Lofa County, Liberia January to February 2018 Julius Monday Rude, Lavele Kortimai, Fallah Mosoka, Ballerv, Mouhamoud Nuha, Victoria Katawera, Thomas Nagbe, Alpha Tamba, Williams Desmound, Richard Mulbah, Formenty Pierre, Emmanuel Musa Onuche, Joseph Okeibunor Chukwudi, Ambrose Talisuna, Ali Ahmed Yahaya, Soatiana Rajatonirina, Tolbert Nyenswah, Bernice Dahn, Alex Gasasira, Ibrahima Socé Fall Pan Afr Med J. 2019; 33(Suppl 2): 6, 29 May 2019 [Full text] [PDF in process]

Research Lessons learned from detecting and responding to recurrent measles outbreak in Liberia post Ebola-Epidemic 2016-2017 Thomas Nagbe, George Sie Williams, Julius Monday Rude, Sumor Flomo, Trokon Yeabah, Mosoka Fallah, Laura Skrip, Chukwuemeka Agbo, Nuha Mahmoud, Joseph Chukwudi Okeibunor, Kwuakuan Yealue, Ambrose Talisuna, Ali Ahmed Yahaya, Soatiana Rajatonirina, Adolphus Clarke, Esther Hamblion, Tolbert Nyenswah, Bernice Dahn, Alex Gasasira, Ibrahima Socé Fall Pan Afr Med J. 2019; 33(Suppl 2): 7, 29 May 2019 [Full text] [PDF in process]

Research Enhancing laboratory capacity during Ebola virus disease (EVD) heightened surveillance in Liberia: lessons learned and recommendations Victoria Katawera, Henry Kohar, Nuha Mahmoud, Philomena Raftery, Christine Wasunna, Ben Humrighouse, Patrick Hardy, John Saindon, Randal Schoepp, Monear Makvandi, Lisa Hensley, Orla Condell, Kara Durski, Shalini Singaravelu, Laetitia Gahimbare, Gene Olinger, Francis Kateh, Dhamari Naidoo, Peter Nsubuga, Pierre Formenty, Tolbert Nyenswah, Sheick Oumer, Okeibunor Joseph Chukwudi, Ambrose Talisuna, Ali Ahmed Yahaya, Soatiana Rajatonirina, Desmond Williams, Bernice Dahn, Alex Gasasira, Ibrahima Socé Fall Pan Afr Med J. 2019; 33(Suppl 2): 8, 29 May 2019 [Full text] [PDF in process]

Research Strengthening healthcare workforce capacity during and post Ebola outbreaks in Liberia: an innovative and effective approach to epidemic preparedness and response Philip Bemah, April Baller, Catherine Cooper, Moses Massaquoi, Laura Skrip, Julius Monday Rude, Anthony Twyman, Phiona Moses, Redda Seifeldin, Kanagasabai Udhayashankar, Kayla Enrique, Michelle Niescierenko, Chantelle Owen, Lauren Brown, Bonkoungou Boukaré, Desmond Williams, Tolbert Nyenswah, Francis Kateh, Bernice Dahn, Alex Gasasira, Ibrahima Socé Fall Pan Afr Med J. 2019; 33(Suppl 2): 9, 31 May 2019 [Full text] [PDF in process]

Research Integrated disease surveillance and response implementation in Liberia, findings from a data quality audit, 2017 Thomas Nagbe, Kwuakuan Yealue, Trokon Yeabah, Julius Monday Rude, Musoka Fallah, Laura Skrip, Chukwuemeka Agbo, Nuha Mouhamoud, Joseph Chukwudi Okeibunor, Roland Tuopileyi, Ambrose Talisuna, Ali Ahmed Yahaya, Soatiana Rajatonirina, Joseph Asamoah Frimpong, Mary Stephen, Esther Hamblion, Tolbert Nyenswah, Bernice Dahn, Alex Gasasira, Ibrahima Socé Fall Pan Afr Med J. 2019; 33(Suppl 2): 10, 31 May 2019 [Full text] [PDF in process]