Ebola: Kagera Health Committees Get Training on Preparedness

AT LEAST 90 district health committee members in Kagera Region will be provided with tablets to facilitate monitoring and early reporting on the deadly Ebola disease as part of capacity building training.

The Director for Preventive Services from the Ministry of Health, Dr Beatrice Mutayoba, disclosed this yesterday while opening a two-day training being attended by district health committee members held in Bukoba Municipal Council.

“After attending the training the District health committee members will be equipped with 90 tablets to facilitate close monitoring and early reporting on the deadly Ebola disease. They will later impart the knowledge to Community Health Management Teams (CHMTs) in their respective areas.

My appeal to all health workers is to get prepared and offer the required professional services to control the deadly disease that has been reported in neighbouring Uganda. People should however, remain calm while taking precautions against the disease,”

she said.

Dr Mutayoba explained that so far Tanzania has not recorded any Ebola case, but all necessary measures are in place to contain the killer disease.

“Tanzanians should continue taking all necessary precautions against the Ebola Viral Disease (EVD), following an outbreak of the disease in neighbouring Uganda. As of September 29th this year, there were 54 confirmed cases and 25 deaths in Uganda.

“The Ministry has instructed health officers at regional and district council levels to intensify health awareness campaigns, closely monitor the disease, do professional examination and ensure the availability of necessary medical and preventive equipment at their respective areas,”

she said.

Equally, she advised the public to take precautions against this disease including washing hands with clean water and soap,  avoid touching the body or discharges of an Ebola patient and avoiding unnecessary movements especially visiting areas affected by this disease.

Kagera Regional Administrative Secretary (RAS), Toba Nguvila, commended the government for availing protective gear including a mobile clinic to Kagera regional authorities in efforts to control the Ebola virus.

Kagera Regional Medical Officer (RMO), Dr Kaniki Issessanda, on the other hand, explained that two isolation centres have already been established at Kabyaile Health Centre, in Missenyi District and another at Kamuli Ward, in Kyerwa District.

Missenyi and Kyerwa districts border neighbouring Uganda where the Ebola virus was reported in Mubende District.

Kagera Region shares borders with four East African Community (EAC) member states, namely Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda and Kenya across Lake Victoria.

Ministry of Health through its emergency response team has identified five high risk regions due to high interactions as Kagera, Mwanza, Kigoma, Geita and Mara.

Other regions which are at medium risk are Dar es Salaam, Arusha, Kilimanjaro and Songwe because of direct flights to those regions.

Tanzania’s health authorities had already resolved to intensify the epidemic preparedness in all regions by strengthening the Rapid Response Team at all levels, including conducting capacity building training.

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