Front Line Health workers in Uganda to get vaccination against Ebola disease

The Ministry of Health has announced that Uganda will be conducting vaccination against the Ebola disease for the front line workers.

As the widespread occurrence of disease continues to claim more lives in neighbouring DRC.

Minister of Health said at a news conference at Uganda media centre that, "The Ministry of Health would like to inform the public and the entire world that it will conduct compassionate use of the Ebola vaccine (rVSV) for health care and front line workers and ring vaccination in Uganda".

In the month of august 2018, Ebola virus disease was confirmed in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

In fact, currently the Ebola disease is affecting north-eastern provinces of DRC that border Uganda, Rwanda and South Sudan.

"Due to cross border relations, the level of movements have been high traditionally due to visits to relatives. Also now heightened as the population looks out for safety, trade and medical attention," said Minister Aceng.

The public health risk of cross border transmission of Ebola to Uganda was assessed to be very high at the national level.

As neighbour to the DRC, Uganda is on high alert due to the high risk of the Ebola threat.

DRC has registered a total of 285 increasing cases, 250 confirmed cases and a total of 180 deaths, this was as of 1st November 2018.

Currently about 41 suspect cases are under investigation.

It is also informed that there is no confirmed case of Ebola registered in Uganda yet.

Governments and partners have been conducting case management and close observation trainings in 7 districts.

Active case search continues in all communities, health facilities, and on formal and informal border crossing in all districts especially in the high risk ones.