15 - 25 January 2019, Mainland & Zanzibar: Two outbreaks of Ebola virus disease (EVD) have occurred in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in the past 6 months. Following the ninth outbreak in Mbandaka (Western DRC), WHO conducted a risk assessment and prioritized nine neighbouring countries for EVD activities as follows:

Priority 1 - Central African Republic and Republic of Congo

Priority 2 - Angola, Burundi, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Zambia

Priority 3 - Uganda

After the declaration of the 10th outbreak in North Kivu province (Eastern DRC) on 1 August, WHO conducted another risk assessment and reprioritized countries for EVD activities as follows:

Priority 1 - Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, South Sudan

Priority 2 - Angola, Central African Republic, (United Republic of Tanzania – Mainland & Zanzibar), Zambia

In the past eight months WHO and partners have been supporting the implementation of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) national contingency plan through the deployment of experts and supporting different activities to the nine countries targeted for EVD preparedness. Tanzania is one of the nine countries because it shares border with DRC. As part of the monitoring of the implementation of the national contingency plan for EVD preparedness activities, the WHO regional office for Africa in collaboration with WHO HQ and partners conducted the assessment visit to review the preparedness activities so far implemented in the country. Against this background, a joint assessment team which included WHO Headquarter and Country Office staff, WCO EVD experts and Ministry of Health staff conducted the assessment in Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar from 15– 25 January 2019.

The objective of the mission was to provide the local support for the Joint Assessment Team to achieve the following:

• Review available IHR and health system assessment/resources (JEE, STAR, midterm health system assessment) to understand the country’s operational preparedness and readiness*.
• Discuss with partners about their engagement on risk assessment, planning, implementation, monitoring and information sharing for EVD preparedness and readiness
• Review the ongoing implementation of EVD operational preparedness and readiness activities
• Onsite visit to points of entry, isolation facilities, and other high-risk areas to review the EVD activities

Preliminary findings of the mission highlighting strengths, gaps and recommendations were presented and discussed at the National Taskforce meeting on  25 January 2019. A full report is being finalized and is expected to guide the country EVD preparedness activities for the coming months.