Ebola Response: B-Fast returns from Guinea, but Belgium continues support for Guinea
On 24 February, the B-Fast team returns from Guinea, but Belgium continues to support Guinea in the fight against Ebola. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Development Cooperation Alexander De Croo granted extra financing to keep the B-Life laboratory in Guinea, and to ensure that it continues to function. The European Commission (DG ECHO) also contributes to the funding. A team of 4 members of the CTMA (Center for Applied Molecular Technologies), three officers of the Belgian Civil Protection and two members of Defence will continue to support the work of the laboratory. This last mission is organized by the General Directorate Civil Protection (Ministry of Interior) at the request of the European Union and the Guinean authorities.
In Nzérékore, Guinea, B-Fast operated the mobile B-Life laboratory, that has advanced communication means and where blood samples can be tested on Ebola. The team supported the Ebola Treatment Center (ETC), which is managed by the French NGO Alima (Alliance for International Medical Action).
The cooperation with the NGO Alima and the local population was excellent. Thanks to the B-Fast operation, the B-Life laboratory could function optimally, which was greatly appreciated by the population and the Guinean authorities.
The B-Fast team stayed in Nzerekore for two months, as decided by the council of ministers at the beginning of December 2014. However, the end of the B-Fast mission does not imply the end of the operation in Nzerekore. The B-Life laboratory can continue to operate with the financing of the Belgian development cooperation and the European Commission. In two months, the situation will be reevaluated.
