New WHO protocol on 'safe and dignified' Ebola burials

Date: Nov-10-2014 The World Health Organization have issued a new

protocol for the "safe and dignified burial" of people who have died

from suspected or confirmed Ebola virus disease.

When a person dies infected with Ebola, their body may still be contagious for the disease.

The UN health agency says the new procedures emphasize the inclusion

of family members of the deceased and encourage religious rites as an

essential part of safe burials.

When a person dies infected with Ebola, their body contains high

levels of the virus and is potentially still contagious for the

disease.

Members of a deceased patient's family or community can become

infected with Ebola when because of local customs or religious rites

they touch or wash the body of the deceased. They can also become

infected from handling personal property or sheets, clothing and

bandages contaminated with virus-containing body fluids.

The World Health Organization (WHO) expert on Ebola, Dr. Pierre Formenty, says at least 20% of new

infections occur during burials of people who died from Ebola virus

disease, and:

"By building trust and respect between burial teams, bereaved

families and religious groups, we are building trust and safety in the

response itself. Introducing components such as inviting the family to

be involved in digging the grave and offering options for dry ablution

and shrouding will make a significant difference in curbing Ebola

transmission."

The new WHO protocol is not just for medical staff but for anyone

involved in the management of dead bodies and burial of patients

suspected or confirmed as being infected with Ebola when they died.

It consists of 12 steps that burial teams should follow to ensure

safe burials, beginning with the moment they arrive in the village or community of the deceased Ebola patient and finishing with their

arrival back at the hospital or headquarters following burial and

disinfection.

The new protocol was developed by an interdisciplinary team of

experts from WHO, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red

Crescent Societies and faith organizations including World

Council of Churches, Islamic Relief, Caritas Internationalis and World

Vision.

They consulted religious leaders in affected countries to help

identify and define what is meant by a "dignified burial" in Muslim and

Christian faiths.

Ebola burial protocol outlines dry ablutions and other safe and

meaningful alternatives

Medical anthropologists who researched the cultural significance and

values of burial practices in the affected countries also contributed.

They developed meaningful and safe alternatives for touching and

bathing the deceased.

The procedures describe step by step how to conduct safe and

dignified burials - giving specific instructions for Muslim and

Christian burials - and encourages the inclusion of family members and

clergy in the planning and preparation of the burial as well as the

burial itself.

Rehanah Sadiq, a Muslim chaplain with University Hospitals

Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust in the UK was a consultant on the

preparation of the new protocol. She says giving families safe

alternatives to retain the practices they hold dear, "helps them be

part of the decision-making process, which is critical particularly

during a time when they may be feeling helpless."

"It is clear from Islamic juristic ruling that the necessity of

religious washing of the body before burial of patients who die from

Ebola is over-ruled," she notes, and adds, "However, it is vital to

help bereaved families grieve and find closure by ensuring that sacred

rites, such as performing a dry ablution, shrouding the body and

praying over the deceased are represented in Muslim funerals."

Caritas Internationalis health expert Monsignor Robert J. Vitillo,

who has been helping the local Church in Monrovia, Liberia, in its

Ebola response, and is also Head of Delegation to the United Nations in

Geneva, says:

"Giving the family an opportunity to view the body of the deceased,

ensuring that the grave is appropriately labelled, and allowing

religious leaders to offer prayers and family members the option to

throw the first soil - these are important incentives for encouraging

families to continue to find strength in their faith, and to keep other

family members safe from becoming infected."

Protective equipment not necessary when meeting families of

deceased Ebola patients

The protocol includes ways for Ebola burial teams to work safely

while respecting the needs of families and communities. For example, it

does not require them to wear the personal protective equipment (PPE) when they first meet with the family, and it suggests they ask the

family if they have any specific requests about managing the burial and

the deceased's personal effects.

WHO say they will seek and use feedback from religious and community

leaders, as well as the burial teams themselves, to update and improve

the protocol.

In their latest situation assessment, the UN health agency reports

that up to 2 November 2014, there have been 13,042 confirmed, probable

and suspected cases of Ebola virus disease and 4,818 reported deaths.

Six countries - Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Sierra Leone, Spain and the US -

are currently affected by the outbreak, and two - Nigeria and Senegal

- are no longer affected.

In the three countries with widespread and intense transmission,

incidence rates appear to be stable in Guinea, continuing to rise in

Sierra Leone, and declining in Liberia.

Meanwhile, Medical News Today recently learned how an experimental inhalable anti-Ebola vaccine

is showing promise following animal trials that compared it to

injected forms.

Written by Catharine Paddock PhD

Not to be reproduced without permission.

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Courtesy: Medical News Today Note: Any medical information available in this news section is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a health care professional.