Ministry of Health warns against wild animal meat

Report

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Uganda Red Cross

Written by Catherine Ntabadde
Monday, 23 May 2011 02:17

The Ministry of Health has warned the public against eating wild animal meat as it works with partners like World Health Organisation, Uganda Red Cross Society, MSF to contain Ebola. The Ministry warns that eating wild animal meat may cause Ebola. The partners have since embarked on an aggressive sensitization and awareness campaign to contain the Ebola epidemic following confirmed reports of the disease in Luweero, Central Uganda. The deadly epidemic has so far killed 1 person and 2 suspected cases are 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.

According to URCS Under Secretary General Programs and Projects Dr. Bildard Baguma the 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). URCS interventions are targeting 865, 951 people.

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.

Neighboring 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...