Curfew and Airport Closure Hamper Emergency Care in Guinea

Sydney/Conakry - Since Saturday, the international medical organisation Médecins Sans Frontières has thus far treated around 355 people who became injured during demonstrations and fighting in Conakry and Gueckedou in Guinea, West Africa. The majority of them were wounded by stray bullets.

Before the weekend, after learning about plans for new demonstrations, Médecins Sans Frontières prepared for the possibility that emergency medical assistance would be needed. The team set up facilities in the Matam health centre in Conakry and in the hospital in Gueckedou, where Médecins Sans Frontières is running two HIV/AIDS programmes.

The Matam health centre already had an emergency unit in place. Médecins Sans Frontières set up two extra tents to increase the capacity for treating injuries. Five additional medical staff arrived in support of the team. Those with relatively light injuries are treated in this health centre; people with more serious wounds are referred to Donka hospital which has capacity for more complex surgery.

In addition, since Saturday February 10th, more than 275 wounded patients have been admitted and treated at Donka hospital in Conakry where 37 deaths have also been recorded following the violent confrontations. As of yesterday afternoon, 60 patients remained hospitalised out of the 111 admitted in hospitalisation wards by Guinean medical teams supported by Médecins Sans Frontières volunteers. Supply of medicines as well as medical equipment has been ensured in order to treat the wounded and the emergency unit of the hospital is now getting a regular supply of drinking water. Médecins Sans Frontières also participates in the food distribution to hospital patients. Finally, Médecins Sans Frontières also facilitates the transport of patients to Donka hospital with ambulances. However, the smooth traffic of emergency vehicles remains limited due to the difficult procedures imposed on us by the authorities in order to obtain special traffic permits. These documents are an absolute necessity to conduct all emergency rescue operations to assist the wounded.

“In Matam, over 24 hours we received more than 47 people wounded by guns,” says Sergio Martin, Médecins Sans Frontières head of mission in Guinea. “Now we are particularly worried about the effects of the martial law that has been declared which includes a curfew that allows movements only between 4pm and 8pm. How are we supposed to transport patients that need specialist treatment if we are not allowed to move between health facilities? We are trying to get an exemption, but up ‘til now none has been granted”.

Yesterday demonstrations paired with violence also started in the town of Gueckedou, close to the Liberian border. In the afternoon seven wounded people arrived at the local hospital.

Its not the first time that Médecins Sans Frontières has had to boost emergency medical services in Conakry. Less than a month ago, during a first wave of demonstrations, Médecins Sans Frontières supplied the Matam health centre with two surgical kits, each for treatment of 150 injuries, materials for dressing another 200 wounds and supplies for treating 160 burn injuries.

“We are worried about the 1,200 regular patients in our HIV/Aids project,” adds Martin. “They come to our centres regularly to receive medical assistance and free antiretroviral drugs. But the current insecurity and the curfew are preventing them from coming to us and they may not be able to stick to their treatment. The consequences on their health could be serious.”

The airport in Conakry has been closed since the weekend, making it virtually impossible for humanitarian organisations to get emergency staff and supplies into Guinea.