Man with Ebola in the Congo 2009 (Credit: microbewiki.kenyon.edu)
By Atwiine Allen – DIPLOMATIC TIMES CORESSPONDENT
KAMPALA – UGANDA – There is a crisis in Uganda. The Ebola virus is spreading rapidly in Uganda with at least 51 deaths reported as health officials struggle to contain the deadly disease. Ebola is clearly more dangerous than COVID with very little chances of survival, medical experts report. There have been government-instituted lockdown across Uganda. The Ugandan government decided Tuesday to close schools early after 23 cases were found among students and eight children died. The Ugandan Education Minister said the cabinet took action to close pre-schools, primary schools and secondary schools on November 25 where children are crowded together in classes. The outbreak was first detected on Sept. 20 in a small farming town in central Uganda. The growing death toll comes amid a rare Sudan strain of the virus for which there are no proven vaccines thus far. It is the first time in more than a decade that the Sudan strain has been found in Uganda. There are several Ugandan districts affected by the outbreak including Bunyangabu, Kagadi, Kampala, Kassanda, Kyegegwa, Mubende and Wakiso. It would be easy to point fingers to cast blame on international health organizations or the Ugandan government for the dire Ebola situation but Ugandans are past the blame game. They know Ebola is serious and want it contained.
“In this case, Ugandans have stopped the blame games,” one Kampala resident said. “At first they thought it was just minor until the entire family of five people died.”
Instead of a COVID like country-wide strict lockdown, the Ugandan government has opted for educating people about preventative measure. Many feel a lockdown would have been a good idea to control the disease but, then again, Ugandans would have started crying that they don’t have any food to eat. The memory of the recent COVID pandemic lockdown that caused widespread chaos and fear, poverty, hunger, and heavy-handed enforcement by the authorities in Uganda is all too real. The Ugandan economy is still trying to recover from the COVID pandemic. In the Districts, medical doctors operating out of district hospitals and facilities are working to identify Ebola suspects, isolate them and conduct testing on them to determine if they are infected. They also prioritize educating people about the virus, being aware of its signs and symptoms.
DIPLOMATIC TIMES VIDEO – Dr. Kylie, a District medical officer from Uganda Ministry of Health
“The big key for now is preventive measures. Lockdowns are the extremes. But nonetheless if all measures fail, then you end up with a lockdown. But it would not be a recommended thing to do for now. The main thing for now is educating people telling them what they need to do. Once they do it, the Ebola can go without affecting very many people.”
-Dr. Kylie, a District medical officer from Uganda Ministry of Health
DIPLOMATIC TIMES VIDEO – Dr. Kylie, a District medical officer from Uganda Ministry of Health
Dr. Kylie said there are several facilities in the District. “We are always screening people. We have (hand) washing facilities. We are distributing health information to other area facilities and coordinating assistance with identifying, screening and isolating suspected Ebola carriers and conducting testing.”
Nigerian physicians being trained by the World Health Organization (WHO) on how to put on and remove personal protective equipment (PPE) to treat Ebola patients 28 August 2014. (Credit: cdc.gov)
Ebola virus is spread through direct contact with blood or other bodily fluids, such as semen, feces, or vomit, of infected persons (or animals), including close contact with deceased EVD victims, which are highly infectious. Infection can also be spread through objects like needles and syringes or clothing and bedding that have been contaminated with the virus. Most cases of Ebola virus transmission occur between family members or in health care settings with inadequate infection control, because in these circumstances people are at highest risk of coming in contact with infected bodily fluids. The virus enters the body through a break in the skin or through the eyes, nose, or mouth of an unprotected person.
-SOURCE: BAYLOR College of Medicine
DIPLOMATIC TIMES VIDEO – Dr. Baluku Leon, medical doctor with St. John Ambulance near Kampala, Uganda
“We have a crisis. We have a District Task Force and we work with our friends in the Red Cross, Baylor, Save The Children, as well as other cultural institutions. We are all teaming up to help the community. We have been given the avenue to talk to people. We use the radio. We go to cultural institutions. We go to churches and schools for the issue of prevention, especially hand washing. Hand washing is very, very important. We also go to people in the hills and villages. The people in the hills are difficult to reach but we go. We have to encourage those issues of health prevention.”
-Dr. Baluku Leon, medical doctor with St. John Ambulance near Kampala, Uganda
DIPLOMATIC TIMES VIDEO – Dr. Baluku Leon, medical doctor with St. John Ambulance near Kampala, Uganda
DIPLOMATIC TIMES VIDEO – Dr. Baluku Leon, medical doctor with St. John Ambulance near Kampala, Uganda
DIPLOMATIC TIMES VIDEO – Dr. Baluku Leon, medical doctor with St. John Ambulance near Kampala, Uganda
Concern Over EBOLA Spreading In Ugandan Refugee Camps
Since this year, more than 70,000 Congolese refugees have crossed into Uganda fleeing fighting back home in DR Congo. The number is expected to double by year’s end. There has been a constant flow of refugees across Uganda’s western border with the DRC to escape deadly fighting between M23 rebels and DRC government troops. This has raised concerns of potential spreading of Ebola in Uganda.
“The issue of Ebola in refugee camps is very challenging. It is a challenging issue when there is a war and there are internally displaced people. At these transit stations, people should be removed from congestion. “
-Dr. Baluku Leon, medical doctor with St. John Ambulance near Kampala, Uganda
DIPLOMATIC TIMES VIDEO – Dr. Baluku Leon, medical doctor with St. John Ambulance near Kampala, Uganda
DIPLOMATIC TIMES VIDEO – Dr. Baluku Leon, medical doctor with St. John Ambulance near Kampala, Uganda
UGANDA RED CROSS Helps Fight the Spread of Ebola
Uganda Red Cross Society (Credit: Facebook)
After the first case of the Ebola Viral Disease was reported on 20th September 2022 , the Uganda Red Cross Society (URCS) activated an Ebola Preparedness and response program to fight the spread, according to the URCS. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has launched an Emergency Appeal to scale up these activities—targeting 2.7 million people.
Robert Kwesiga, Uganda Red Cross Secretary General, said:
“We have trained our volunteers to conduct safe and dignified burials and carry out health promotion activities. We are engaging communities directly with information about Ebola symptoms and how to prevent further risk, including early detection of new cases”.
Papa Moussa Tall, IFRC Head of Delegation for Uganda, Tanzania and South Sudan said:
“The Ebola virus is devastating for families, but I am relieved that we are able to offer experienced teams and lessons learned from past outbreaks to help. The IFRC—through our Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF)—has activated resources to support the Uganda Red Cross to quickly respond and save lives”.
