Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng, the Minister of Health has appealed to the media to report positively as the country is battling with the current Ebola outbreak that hit the country in late September.
According to Aceng, the country is currently responding to four epidemics that include Ebola, Monkey Pox, Malaria and Covid19 and because of that now is the right time to continuously encourage health workers and thank them for the good work done so far.
“It’s unfortunate that some people talk negatively when their colleagues are saving others,” Aceng noted while referring to the president of the Uganda Medical Association who made some emotional remarks on his twitter handle.
Dr. Aceng made these remarks at the Ministry of Health headquarters in Kampala on Wednesday while receiving Ebola protective equipments donated by USAID and larvicides donated by Eco Knight Bio Control East Africa ltd.
Uganda as of October 3, had 43 cumulative confirmed cases of Ebola with no new case confirmed, 9 cumulative confirmed deaths with zero deaths reported, 4 recoveries and this was in the five districts of Mubende, Kyegwegwa, Buryangabu, Kassanda and Kagadi.
Richard Nelson the Mission Director USAID noted that there grateful to be part of the process of supporting the Ministry because there is need to collectively resolve the Ebola crisis quickly because it pauses a great damage to the people of Uganda.
“Thiss Kit has supplies of infection prevention control materials, materials for health workers and patients plus sprayers to help people survive” Nelson added.
Yonas Tegegn the WHO representative in Uganda said that to have a good control of the outbreak, they are also engaged in community mobilization and risk communication and he urged the media to communicate the right message and create awareness such that the disease is controlled.
“Let’s try our best to avoid miss communicating and spreading myths that will not be helpful” he added.
On the other hand the Minister hailed Eco Knight Bio Control East Africa ltd for donating larvicides which will help in the current Malaria epidemic affecting mostly the Northern and Eastern parts of the country.
“Having larvicides like Mousticide that directly works on larvae is extremely commendable because indoor residue sprayings are not having impact anymore because chemicals have become resistant” Aceng added.
Currently, the Malaria epidemic is covering 45 districts with over 35 having an up search with Kibuku and Namutumba and the Northern region having the highest mortality rate of this epidemic.
The donations included wettable powder and rice husks that are environment friendly and can cover a whole district.
According to Lwanga, Ugandans have tested the larvicides since March and they know how to use it already and when its effectively implemented it will save a lot of lives.
Larvicides have been used in several countries like Ghana, Singapore, Malaysia, Trinidad and Tobago, Philippines amongst others.
