The Uganda Medical Association has asked the Ministry of Health to deploy over 2000 redundant health workers to handle the Ebola Virus Disease epidemic.
This comes as the country battles an outbreak that has since claimed 21 lives and admitted 34 cases of which 16 have been confirmed positive for EVD while 18 are probable cases awaiting results from the Uganda Virus Research Institute.
Speaking to the media on Sunday, UMA President Dr. Sam Oledo said the government needs to put in place a way to battle the ebola virus before the situation gets out of hand.
Oledo says since the index patient was reported in August 2022, it is highly probable that the disease has since spread to several districts like Kisoro, and Kampala among others.
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He says UMA has already gazetted a team for the Ebola Treatment Unit from the over 2000 health workers who are currently unemployed.
“The disease has spread widely since the first patient was reported, we have had probable cases even in Kampala. We are a nation starving amidst plenty,it is high time that we recruit and have a team specifically for the Ebola treatment unit. At levels 1, 2, and 3 of the disease, we must have fully braced health workers to see any suspected case,”
— Dr. Oledo says
He has urged the ministry of health to provide all health workers treating patients with Ebola with the required medical equipment to ensure that they are also protected from the disease.
Ebola Sudan strain was first registered on September 19 when a 24-year-old man was admitted to Mubende Regional Referral hospitals with symptoms of the deadly disease.
Emmanuel Ainebyoona, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Health spokesperson has dismissed claims that Ebola is in Kampala.
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“Cases reported outside Mubende include three in Kyegegwa and one in Kassanda but all linked to the index case in Mubende,” he said, adding that there are “no confirmed cases in Kampala as yet”.
Districts, where confirmed and suspected cases have been reported, include Kasanga, Kassanda, Kampala, Kisoro, Kakumiro, Mubende, Kyegegwa, and Lyantonde.
Health authorities said samples from suspected cases are being analyzed at the Uganda Virus Research Institute. Last week, the Ministry reported that over seven suspects with Ebola-like symptoms fled from health teams before they could be transferred to the Ebola isolation center.
Ebola spreads when one touches fluids of an infected person like vomit, blood, stool, or objects that have been contaminated with body fluids from an infected person. It presents with a fever, headache, sore throat, vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, and bleeding from openings, yellowing of the eyes, general body weakness among others.
