Strengthening health through epidemic prevention
Malteser International's project activities in epidemic prevention are focussed in Central Guinea, and span across ten prefectures targetting about 2.8 million residents. The economy of the region is primarily based on agriculture, and livestock farming is a major source of income.
The Ebola outbreak of 2013 was strongly felt in Central Guinea where the absence of an effective early warning system and a lack of professional medical personnel contributed to the rapid spread of the virus. The epidemic thus put a strain on an already poor healthcare system, and since then healthcare in the country has been in a state of decline. Failing infrastructure, insufficient technical facilities and a lack of specialized personnel in remote rural areas mean that communities in these areas are most affected. Malteser International seeks to support these communities to withstand epidemics, and improve their overall healthcare system.
The project is implemented in cooperation with a local partner Amalte Guinée.
- Developing competences in the prevention, detection and treatment of epidemic diseases and tuberculosis at the regional and community levels as well as in health facilities
- Improvement and expansion of medical services
- Confidence building measures - Training community voluntary health workers (Agents Communautaires de Santé) in order to reestablish trust between communities and the healthcare system
- Further training of medical personnel on epidemic prevention, hygiene and control of tuberculosis
- Strengthening the regional reference center for tuberculosis and increasing networking with communal structures
- Supporting the national leprocy program in Central Guinea
- Improving infrastructure and water supply, as well as medical provision and equipment especially in poorly accesssible areas
Country info
Capital: Conakry
Area: 250.158 km²
Population: approx. 11.5 million
Project data
Project duration: 01.12.2016 – 30.11.2018
Financed by: The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), Germany's Relief Coalition (Aktion Deutschland Hilft - ADH)
Partner: Amalte Guinée
Last Updated: August 2017
