Heightened health surveillance on Uganda, DRC boarder due to Ebola

By Our reporter

29^th April 2022

There is heightened Health and security surveillance across border Districts following an outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The outbreak was declared in Mbandaka, the capital city of Equateur Province last week, and has already claimed the lives of two people. So far, 233 contacts have been identified and are being monitored as vaccination teams have been deployed to contain the further spread of the pandemic in DR Congo,according to World Health Organisation-WHO.

The situation has put Uganda on high alert, especially in Bunyoro, where health and security surveillance has been heightened at most entry points in the region. There are standby health teams screening those crossing into the country through Lake Albert.

Health and security surveillance has been stationed at Sebigoro, Kaiso, Ndaiga, Butiaba, Bugoma, Kitebere, and Wanseko landing sites in Hoima, Kagadi, Kikuube and Buliisa districts respectively. The landing sites are the major entry points for DRC nationals into Uganda.

Hoima District Health officer-DHO Dr Lawrence Tumusiime says that they have deployed enough health experts at major entry points along the Lake Albert shores to ensure that all measures are adhered to. They have also reinstated all the COVID-19 Response and Surveillance teams on all landing sites to screen people entering Uganda from DRC.

Hoima Resident District Commissioner-RDC Emmy Katera Turyabagenyi says that they have deployed the police, Uganda Peoples Defence Forces-UPDF and sister security agencies to carry out effective surveillance along the border.