Two Wakiso health facilities closed over Ebola

Some of the stakeholders during an emergency health meeting at Wakiso District on February 4, 2025. PHOTO/NOELINE NABUKENYA
What you need to know:
- According to Dr Diana Atwine, the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Health, the victim was a 32-year-old male nurse from Mulago National Referral Hospital.
Authorities in Wakiso District have temporarily closed Saidina Abubakar Islamic Hospital located in Wattuba, Matugga following confirmation that an Ebola victim visited the facility before succumbing to the virus disease at Mulago National Referral Hospital on January 29.
Dr Emmanuel Mukisa, Wakiso District Health Officer said 21 health workers attached to Saidina have been evacuated and taken to an isolation centre at Mulago for 21 days.
“We are going to close Ele’ Ama Clinic located in Nabweru and have all health workers put in our isolation centre because we received alerts that the victim also went there,” he said, during an emergency health meeting at the district headquarters on February 4.
According to Dr Diana Atwine, the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Health, the victim was a 32-year-old male nurse from Mulago National Referral Hospital.
Dr Mukisa noted that the health workers in the isolation centre will be monitored for 21 days to see if they present any signs and symptoms of Ebola.
“The health facilities will remain closed as we watch the conditions but we ask the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious cases related to Ebola signs and symptoms,” he urged.
Mr Brian Odaga, the operations manager at Kampala Metropolitan Area Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC), said they have so far secured 10 ambulances, of which, two are kept at Matugga, five in Naguru, whereas three ambulances are still with police.
“Police promised us three ambulances which are going to be on standby to pick up all Ebola suspects,” he assured, noting that they have four marine ambulances for island dwellers.
Additionally, institutions especially schools and health workers have been urged to observe the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) which are being used in the prevention of Mpox Disease.
Mr Alex Kakeeto, Wakiso Incident Commander, has asked schools to observe social distance among the learners and ensure learners sanitize or wash their hands with clean water and soap.
“We have generated circulars containing precautions to be put into practice at all schools. Let school proprietors set up hand washing facilities s at their institutions, decongest dormitories and classrooms to avoid the spread of the virus,” he asked.
During the meeting, the district health team agreed to call for an urgent meeting with traditional healers to ensure that they report any suspicious cases brought to their shrines.
“When communities record strange diseases, the first people to run to are the traditional healers. We therefore need to engage them to ensure they don’t keep patients especially during this period,” said Mr John Lutalo, the principal assistant secretary Wakiso District.
To fight epidemics, Wakiso District designed a digital platform from which the communities alert the district task force in case of any cases related to epidemics.
Mr Frank Kakande, a Biotechnician, however noted that they last received alerts from the communities in November, expressing the need to popularize the platform to the community.