Ebola: UMA president recommends lockdown for Kampala

The President of Uganda Medical Association, Mr Samuel Oledo Odong (c) addresses journalists at Mulago National Referral Hospital on May 19, 2022. PHOTO | FRANK BAGUMA

The Uganda Medical Association (UMA) president, Dr Samuel Oledo, has recommended that stringent measures including a lockdown be considered for Kampala to contain the spread of the Ebola virus.

This comes at a time when Ebola cases in greater Kampala have risen to 15 in the last 48 hours.

Currently, Uganda has 90 cumulative cases with 28 active cases on admission and 28 lives lost.

Meanwhile, the districts of Mubende and Kassanda are under a 21-day lockdown.

Speaking on the KFM Hotseat show on Monday, Dr Oledo expressed fear that the government is sitting on a time bomb, warning that the worst is yet to come if nothing is done in the shortest time possible to contain the spread of the viral disease.

Dr Oledo noted that Ebola is not a ‘political disease’, urging Ugandans to take extra vigilance.

“Kampala should have restriction of movement, let us hold Kampala when it is still early. The earlier we lockdown Kampala the better. Ugandans are still taking it as something so minor. It is catastrophic that right now, people are not even reporting cases,” he said.

He, however, commended the government for treating health workers who have contracted Ebola.

At least eight health workers have contracted the viral disease, but two have died. 

According to Dr Oledo, antiviral therapeutics for the treatment of Ebola is expensive, revealing that a single vial goes for about Shs240,000.