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KAMPALA (Reuters) – Uganda announced Monday that it will start vaccinating some of its health workers against Ebola, fearing that viral haemorrhagic fever will spread from the Democratic Republic of Congo, which is fighting against an epidemic.
PHOTO FILE: A Congolese health worker administers the Ebola vaccine to a woman who had contact with an Ebola victim in Mangina village in North Kivu province, Democratic Republic of Congo, on August 18, 2018. REUTERS / Olivia Acland / Photo File
This East African country has been regularly affected by epidemics of Ebola and Marburg, two deadly viral haemorrhagic fevers.
Parts of Uganda's western border are about 100 km from Ebola outbreak sites in Congo.
Health Minister Jane Ruth Aceng said the authorities would administer about 2,100 vaccinations covering front-line health workers working in districts near the border.
Tens of thousands of people cross the border back and forth every week for commercial and family visits, among others, said Aceng.
For this reason, "the risk of cross-border transmission was considered very high … hence the need to protect our health workers with this vaccine," she said at a conference of press.
Congo declared the Ebola outbreak on August 1 and at least 139 deaths occurred
Because of the short distance between outbreaks in Congo, Uganda is on the alert, with increased screening of incoming travelers and training of health personnel in border areas.
Aceng said that widespread insecurity in the provinces of North Kivu and Ituri, in eastern Congo, accentuated Uganda 's vulnerability to cross – border transmission.
"The security situation in North Kivu and Ituri hampers the effective implementation of response activities," said Aceng.
The biggest Ebola outbreak in Uganda was in 2000: 425 people were infected, more than half of whom died.
Report by Elias Biryabarema; Edited by George Obulutsa, William Maclean
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