An Ebola Hemorrhagic fever epidemic has been reported in Luwero District, Central Uganda with 1 death and 2 suspected cases in the isolation unit at Bombo Military Hospital. A team from World Health Organisation, Uganda’s Ministry of Health, Uganda Red Cross Society and MSF is already on ground.
To play an active role of community and house-house mobilization, the Uganda Red Cross has applied for a sh322m Disaster Relief Emergency Fund from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. The funds are among others aimed at reducing the spread of Ebola fever epidemic and related mortality through provision of emergency health services to 865,951 people in 5 districts of Central Uganda over 3 months period.
According to URCS Under Secretary General Programs and Projects Dr. Bildard Baguma said leading humanitarian agency is also focusing on improving early detection, reporting and referral of suspected cases of Ebola through active surveillance (Less than 50 percent case fatality registered in the project areas).
In addition, the URCS will strengthen the coordination and local response by supporting long term epidemic risk reduction actions and participating in the coordination and monitoring mechanisms.
The four agencies already on ground have conducted preliminary assessments and highlighted the main gaps that need to be addressed for the epidemic to be brought under control.
Neighbouring districts of Luwero like Wasiko, Kayunga, Nakaseke, Nakasongola and Kampala districts just along the high way to Northern Uganda and Southern Sudan are being monitored.
According to Ministry of Health officials, 23 suspected contacts so far from the military hospital are under surveillance.
Initial assessment done have not yet identified the source of the outbreak, but the national task force has singled out six districts neighbouring Luwero for active case search, surveilance and social mobilization for the ebola outbreak.
Blood samples of the other cases admitted have been sent to referral laboratories in Entebbe by the Uganda Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO) and more tests are being conducted to provide detailed information on the suspects.
Ebola Sudan, the type confirmed this time in Uganda is a highly contagious killer disease in the category of viral haemorrhagic fevers, with no known cure and with high fatality rate of up to 90% of people exposed to infection.