WHO tells public not to panic over Ebola
Officials from WHO dressed in Ebola Protective gears, prepare to spray the premises at Kagadi Hospital yesterday. Photo by Ronald Tumusiime
What you need to know:
The health experts have said Ebola cases should not be referred to Mulago as a way of containing the spread.
The World Health Organisation has called on the public not to panic over the Ebola Hemorrhagic fever, saying the situation is being contained in Kibaale District.
The WHO country representative, Dr Joaquim Saweka, while opening the international scientific conference on nodding syndrome in Kampala on Tuesday, said health experts were attending to the situation.
“I want to assure the public and the delegates at the conference that the Ministry of Health, Centres for Disease Control, WHO and other health partners are working hard to contain the situation and there should be no cause for alarm,” Dr Saweka said.
Team dispatched
A statement issued by the organisation indicated that experts from the health ministry, WHO and CDC were dispatched to Kibaale to support the response operations and identify possible contacts that were exposed to the suspected and confirmed cases since July 6 for active follow up.
However, WHO does not recommend that any travel or trade restrictions are applied to Uganda contrary to the Ministry of Health position regarding referrals of Ebola patients to Mulago hospital.
The health ministry yesterday banned the referral of Ebola patients from Kibaale to Mulago with immediate effect as a way to contain the situation.
“The disease must be handled locally to contain the spread and we cannot accept this stampede at Mulago because all services will be at stand still,” said Dr Dennis Lwamafa, the commissioner for health services in the health ministry.”
