HHS Secretary Azar tours Ebola treatment facility in DRC

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar led a contingent of U.S. officials on a tour last week of an Ebola treatment center in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

The delegation, which toured a facility in Butembo, DRC, observed the detection, infection prevention, and control measures. They also spoke to the healthcare providers about the treatment of patients and the challenges they face in providing care. Secretary Azar shared his sincere gratitude for the hard work and dedication all personnel have shown in the face of this health crisis.

“The U.S.A. is here for you not just for Ebola, but also healthcare after Ebola,” Azar told the local workers and officials. Health challenges in the DRC extend beyond Ebola to include measles, malaria, HIV, tuberculosis, cholera, and other diseases.

Azar and the delegation also participated in a discussion about how to engage the communities more effectively in the response to combat misinformation and improve outcomes.

Along with Azar, the delegation included Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID); Garrett Grigsby, director of the HHS Office of Global Affairs; Tim Ziemer, senior deputy assistant administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID); Mike Hammer, U.S. Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC); and staff of President Trump’s National Security Council.

They were joined by World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Gebreyeus and United Nations (UN) Emergency Ebola Response Coordinator (EERC) David Gressly.