Dr Hussein Mwinyi

The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has deployed a team of medics to areas bordering Uganda in an effort to deal with the threat of ebola.

The disease has resurfaced in the neighbouring country and there have been reports of several deaths already.

Health and Social Welfare minister Dr Hussein Mwinyi said in an interview on Tuesday that already health facilities and medicines have also been dispatched to the areas.

“We have prepared to control the outbreak of ebola from entering the country from neighbouring Uganda. We are doing everything possible to deal with the threat,” he explained.

He said dispatched medics were ready to follow up very closely information regarding the disease so that immediate actions could be taken, including quarantining areas where necessary, to buffer border villages.

The Minister said regarding preparedness that the ministry had informed all district medical officers to take precautions against the disease.

“We have alerted district medical officers to be aware of the outbreak and to make efforts to provide education to the public on the symptoms of the disease,” he noted.

According to the minister, emergency and disaster groups have been sent to regions neighbouring Uganda in making sure that it stays ready for any incident that may be reported.

Last Saturday, Ugandan Ministry of Health and the World Health Organisation (WHO) confirmed that the mysterious illness has out broke in Uganda’s western of Kibaale district following laboratory investigations done at the Uganda Virus Research Institute which confirmed the disease.

Uganda has seen three major ebola outbreaks over the past 12 years. The deadliest was in 2000 when 425 people were infected where more than half of them died.

There is still no vaccine for the virus. Symptoms include sudden onset of fever, weakness, and headache, vomiting and kidney problems.