Guinea
Providing care for people living with advanced HIV is a key activity for Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in Guinea. In 2023, we also responded to outbreaks of diphtheria and Lassa fever.
Our activities in 2023
people with advanced HIV under MSF care
Although Guinea has a relatively low HIV prevalence of about 1.4 per cent, just over half of people living with the disease are currently receiving antiretroviral treatment. In collaboration with the Ministry of Health, our teams support eight health centres in the capital, Conakry, where we support HIV testing and treatment, with a focus on prevention of mother-to-child transmission of the disease, paediatric HIV care, as well as treatment for opportunistic infections, sexual violence and tuberculosis. In addition, we manage a 31-bed facility at Donka hospital for people with severe complications of HIV.
Following the notification of two Lassa fever outbreaks in Guéckédou health district in August and October, our teams supported the Ministry of Health’s response with the donation of supplies for patient care, including ribavirin, a drug used to treat the disease.
In August, we launched an assessment into a potential diphtheria outbreak in the district of Siguiri. The outbreak was confirmed, and an emergency response was launched to support the Ministry of Health in treating these cases.
Patients with moderate and severe forms of the disease were admitted to a treatment centre, while those with mild symptoms were issued follow-up appointments and given antibiotics to take at home, along with information on how to reduce the risk of transmission. We also supported community awareness campaigns and patient outreach activities. By the end of 2023, the number of patients was still rising.
In late 2022, an Epicentre and MSF team dedicated to epidemiology and research launched an oral cholera vaccination project and study in Guinea, in partnership with Massachusetts General Hospital for Children and Harvard University, assessing the development of immunity to the vaccine. Over 450 participants were enrolled in 2023, receiving two doses of the oral vaccine.