"When we got the results from Conakry confirming that Ebola had reached our place, we were scared,” says Dr Maurice Ony Beuvogui, the Director of the district hospital in Telimele, a Guinean town located some 270 kilometres north of the capital Conakry. “But we knew that we, health workers, have the responsibility to fight it.”

Telimele district, with its 300 000-strong population, was relatively far from the country’s Ebola epicentre in the south-eastern forest region.

Dr Beavogui believed his 44-bed hospital was ready to meet the challenge. It was one of a few in the country with quality certification for infection prevention and control. As the outbreak progressed across the country, the national preparedness plan was activated and the district hospital staff attended training sessions on infection prevention and received Ebola protective equipment. They hoped it would not be needed.