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KAMPALA, Feb. 21 (Xinhuanet) – The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Ugandan Red Cross have signed an agreement to strengthen Ebola screening at border crossings with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) , where an epidemic breaks out.
The WHO, in a statement released on Thursday, said checks would be made at 25 entry points in eight districts along the border.
WHO will provide approximately US $ 161,662 to the Ugandan society to support the identification and deployment of 115 village health teams to ensure that the 25 ports of entry are staffed.
"These teams will conduct regular daily screening of all travelers from the DRC, to monitor the signs of Ebola," the statement said.
Support will also be given to training 229 front-line health workers and volunteers on infection prevention and control.
According to the WHO, border screening is a major concern for health workers in Uganda, given the proximity of the epicenter of the disease.
Thousands of people cross the border daily for services related to commerce, family, religion, health and education, at official and unofficial border crossings, which increases the risk a sick traveler could potentially cross, according to the global health organization.
The situation is compounded by the influx of refugees into Uganda due to the security situation in the provinces affected by the current Ebola outbreak in the neighboring country.
Figures provided by Uganda and the United Nations Refugee Agency show that on average, 111 refugees from the DRC enter Uganda each day.
The highly contagious Ebola virus causes a range of symptoms, including fever, vomiting, diarrhea, generalized pain or discomfort and, in many cases, internal and external bleeding, according to the WHO.
Mortality rates for Ebola, by all global health organizations, are extremely high, with the case fatality rate in humans ranging from 50% to 89%, depending on the subtype of the disease. virus.
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