Uganda Dispatches 80 Medics to DR Congo to Combat Ebola Outbreak

In a significant move to contain the spread of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), Uganda is set to deploy 80 medical personnel to the Democratic Republic of Congo. This initiative includes the establishment of two temporary clinics and mobile laboratories in affected areas.

According to Dr. Diana Atwine, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Health, the deployment is aimed at accelerating the control of the epidemic at its source. “Due to our proximity to the Ebola epicentre, we believe that we will not be able to stop the inflow of patients because they are looking for care (in Uganda),” she stated in an interview. “So, the best is to make sure that we go to the source and we work with our counterpart in DRC.”

The plan involves setting up treatment centers in Aru and Kasenyi, with a potential third center in Mahagi if the outbreak intensifies. Each center will be staffed by 40 individuals, including doctors, nurses, laboratory technicians, infection control specialists, epidemiologists, and acute care personnel.

Dr. Atwine emphasized that this collaborative approach will help both nations and the wider region to overcome the epidemic more swiftly. “If we test early, isolate and treat the sick, then you control the numbers,” she explained. This strategy also aims to prevent the risky cross-border travel of patients seeking treatment in Uganda, which complicates contact tracing due to reliance on informal transport like taxis and boda-bodas.

The Ugandan government has also implemented stringent border control measures and restricts movement to limit further transmission. These measures have had a notable impact on local businesses and cross-border activities, underscoring the urgency to bring the outbreak to an end.

This article is based on information from the Daily Monitor.