As Uganda remains on high alert following imported Ebola cases from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Wakiso District has intensified its epidemic preparedness measures due to its strategic location linking several parts of the country.
The district has deployed more than 30 motorcycles, six ambulances, and a number of medical practitioners to respond swiftly to suspected Ebola cases.
The revelation was made by Alex Kakeeto, the Incident Commander for Wakiso District, who represented the District Health Officer (DHO) during a media workshop on “Elevating Epidemic Preparedness and Response in Uganda” organized by Living Goods in Kampala.
Kakeeto said the district has built valuable experience from handling previous disease outbreaks, which has strengthened its emergency response systems.
“We have put in place several measures, including ambulances, motorcycles to transport health workers, and an alert desk with a toll-free line where people can report suspected cases for immediate response,” Kakeeto explained.
He added that Village Health Teams (VHTs) and surveillance focal persons have been trained across different regions of the district, reducing the distance and time required to respond to alerts while also cutting operational costs.
Kakeeto further noted that the district receives numerous Ebola alerts daily, but health teams carefully assess the information provided since not every fever-related illness is Ebola.
Richard Muhumuza of Living Goods emphasized the importance of investing in epidemic preparedness and response, saying it helps save resources and improves disease management.
Explaining why journalists were included in the training, Muhumuza said informed journalists help equip society with accurate information.
“We believe that when journalists are equipped with the right knowledge, society is also empowered because the media remains the most effective channel through which the public receives and understands information,” he said.
