EBOLA IN UGANDA

Have emergency fund for Ebola epidemic

At last it happened. Last week a team of health officials were dispatched from the Ministry of Health in Kampala, and 10 other international health experts to reinforce the rapid response capability in the Ebola-hit district of Bundibugyo. Thank you.But the first case of Ebola outbreak was reported on November 10 in that very district. What was the government of Uganda waiting for? It is painful to have a government which will lose no sleep even upon the news of Ebola outbreak.The helpless taxpayers of this government had to wait for nearly two months as the disease spread to over 14 villages and 16 lives perished, before experts could leave their comfortable offices in Kampala.In October 2000, a total of 173 people died and 426 others were diagnosed with Ebola in northern Uganda. That was our very first encounter with Ebola. Today, Ugandans expected to see a better and well coordinated response from the government. Ugandans rightly expected the Ministry of Health this time to exude confidence and a sign of preparedness in dealing with this epidemic. But what do we see now? Confusion and nearly a repeat of the tragedy we saw in 2000. Dr Sam Zaramba, the Director General of Health Services, attributed the rising rate of infection to free human movement and people’s ignorance of the disease since September. This is because after 2000, the government went back to sleep only to wake up to another surprise attack of Ebola.Just like in 2000, we are again losing health workers. How do you explain that? Are they also ignorant or are they ill-equipped and exposed to the deadly virus? It is a shame. The government should take radical and aggressive response capability to contain the situation. That is just in case there is any money in the government coffers to effectively facilitate the fight against Ebola. We understand it was expensive to organise Chogm. But just in case anything is still left in the treasury, please save the lives of innocent Ugandans.

Paul Amoru,Kampala