In response to the recent outbreak in Uganda, the European Union has allocated eight million euros (€8,000,000) in emergency humanitarian aid to support the country’s efforts in containing the spread of the virus.
The EU funding will bolster the efforts of the International Red Cross Society in delivering much-needed relief, including coordination, risk communication, surveillance, and contact tracing, emergency medicine/
It will also cover critical needs related to coordination, surveillance, infection prevention and control case management, operational support, screening at border points, and logistics.
The funding, according to the European Union, is aimed at mitigating the spread of the deadly virus and strengthening the country’s response mechanisms.
Jan Sadek, the EU Ambassador to Uganda, told Uganda Radio Network (URN) in an interview during a visit to the Bunyoro sub-region on Tuesday that the fight against the Ebola outbreak should be done jointly.
He says they will also provide an additional support of one million euros to the Uganda Red Cross Society to coordinate their activities in combating the outbreak of the Ebola virus.
Sadek says the EU funding will enhance the efforts of the Ugandan Red Cross Society (URCS) and the response team in delivering key interventions, including coordination, risk communication, surveillance and contact tracing, emergency medical services, safe burials, and hygiene promotion, among others.
Sadek says the EU stands in solidarity with Uganda in the fight against this deadly outbreak, adding that the emergency funding will support rapid response efforts to curb the spread of the virus to ensure that it does not have a negative impact on the economy of the country.
The European Union Ambassadors, led by Sadek, are in the Bunyoro sub-region on their annual joint mission to gain a broader understanding of the region, including its opportunities, challenges, culture, history, and ongoing developments.
They will engage with key leaders, including district authorities, community representatives, civil society organizations (CSOs), the Kingdom officials, Oil and Gas operators, and other Private sectors.
The Ministry of Health has confirmed two cases of the Ebola Bundibugyo virus in the country.
The Ministry says 127 contacts linked to the two confirmed Ugandan cases are currently being monitored.
These include several health workers at Kibuli Hospital who treated the deceased patient.
The Bundibugyo virus is one of three strains that can cause Ebola virus disease, and the least common.
There are no approved vaccines or treatments for the strain, nor are there specific tests.
Ebola Virus Disease is a severe and often fatal illness that affects humans and other primates. It is transmitted through direct contact with the blood or other body fluids of infected individuals, contaminated surfaces and materials, the bodies of people who have died from Ebola, and infected animals such as bats and non-human primates.
The incubation period ranges from 2 to 21 days, and infected persons are not contagious until symptoms develop. Early symptoms include sudden fever, severe weakness, headache, muscle pain and sore throat, followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain and, in some cases, unexplained bleeding or bruising.
Depending on the virus species and the availability of quality supportive care, case fatality rates can range from 25 per cent to more than 70 per cent.
SOURCE: URN
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