Children's National Designated Ebola Treatment Center
Washington, DC -- In response to the isolated Ebola cases in the United States and in preparation for future cases, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Washington, DC, Department of Health have selected Children’s National Health System among 35 other medical institutions to serve as an Ebola-ready treatment center. Children’s National is one of only five freestanding pediatric institutions selected.
Local health officials and infection control teams from the CDC chose Children’s National based on infection control preparations, protocols, staffing, training, and facilities.
“While Children's National does not currently have any confirmed or suspected cases of Ebola, our facility and care team stand ready to provide expert care to any pediatric patients that come through our doors while ensuring the safety of our other patients, employees and visitors,” said Kurt Newman, MD, President and CEO of Children’s National.
On the Sheikh Zayed Campus for Advanced Children’s Medicine, its main location in Washington, DC, Children’s National has a specialized decontamination unit with a separate entrance and air handling system. This ensures limited exposure for those individuals not in direct care of the patient. This unit has a separate entrance and elevator to ensure that the patient and a parent or guardian can be safely transported and thoroughly isolated during care.
A multi-disciplinary team at Children’s National has developed specific Ebola infection prevention and control recommendations and has been continually updating these protocols and procedures based on CDC and District of Columbia Department of Health guidance updates. For several months, Children’s National has been actively conducting comprehensive education and training—including cross training with the National Institutes of Health — to fully prepare our staff to treat a potential patient and to ensure the health and safety of all employees, patients, and visitors.
With a location in the nation’s capital and a robust international population, Children’s National is regularly engaged in surveillance and preparedness for any potential communicable disease that may impact children in the region.
Contact: Emily Hartman at 202-476-4500.