Why WHO Is Deploying Emergency Health Team To Uganda

The World Health Organisation (WHO) is deploying an emergency health team to the East African country of Uganda to respond to an emergency health situation.

The global health body said, medical team’s brief is to help Uganda fight a deadly Ebola outbreak that has already claimed the life of a health worker in the Ugandan capital of Kampala

The 32-year-old male nurse was working at Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala before he succumbed to Sudan Ebola virus Wednesday.

The WHO said it is “working closely with Ugandan health authorities to revitalise a robust surveillance and case management system.

WHO said the personnel will provide technical and logistical support to Uganda’s Ministry of Health revitalise a robust surveillance and case management system.

The confirmed case, designated as the index case who initially developed fever-like symptoms, sought treatment at multiple health facilities, including Mulago, as well as from a traditional healer, according to health authorities.

A total of 45 contacts have been listed and isolated, including 30 health workers and patients from Mulago Hospital, 11 family members of the deceased, and four health workers of Saidina Abubakar Islamic Hospital in Matugga, according to Diana Atwine, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Health.

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“The vaccination of all contacts of the deceased against Ebola virus disease is set to commence immediately. The available doses of the Ebola vaccine are prioritised for contacts and health workers,” Atwine told the press Thursday in Kampala.

The Ebola virus is highly contagious and causes various symptoms, including fever, vomiting, diarrhea, generalised pain or malaise, and, in many cases, internal and external bleeding.

In deploying the emergency health team, the WHO is taking notice of the fatality rate for those who contract Ebola ranges from 50 percent to 89 percent, depending on the viral subtype.