Ugandan border cross-border commuters at high risk of Ebola

By Halima Abdallah

Security concerns remain a major obstacle to controlling the Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has so far claimed more than 200 lives.

People living in Ugandan districts bordering the DRC are now at high risk, according to the latest assessment by the World Health Organization.

At the end of September, WHO raised its risk assessment of the epidemic to "high, very high and medium risk". The status of "very high risk" applies to border districts located near the provinces of North Kivu and Ituri in the DRC.

"At the border with Uganda, 28 districts have been classified in the high to very high risk category due to the deteriorating security situation in the DRC," said the young Minister of Health, Joyce Kaducu.

This evaluation was followed by another by the Independent Health Surveillance and Emergency Advisory Committee, which reviewed Uganda's preparedness. They advised the country to intensify surveillance because people regularly cross unofficial border crossing points to enter the country.

Government data shows that about 5,000 people cross the border each day, a number that can reach 20,000 on market days. In addition, about 250 to 300 refugees from the provinces of North Kivu and Ituri arrive through formal and informal crossing points.

The Ugandan Ministry of Health said that there was no confirmed case of Ebola in the country yet. The DRC Ministry of Health indicated that there were 329 cumulative cases and 295 confirmed cases, with 205 reported deaths.

Uganda has put in place a national emergency plan and mobilized resources for an effective response. Screening of all travelers at Entebbe International Airport is underway and suspected cases are isolated.

The tests are done at Uganda Virus Research Institute Entebbe. Ebola treatment centers have also been set up at border posts at Bwera, Fort Portal and Bundibugyo hospitals, as well as immunization of health and front-line workers.

Ebola erupted in the DRC in August and there is growing concern that the disease is spreading to neighboring countries.

Last month, Uganda organized a cross-border meeting with all EAC member countries (Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and South Sudan) and provided updates on monitoring and surveillance.