Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng, the Health Minister, says they are not leaving anything to chance because the first responsibility of her ministry to protect Ugandans.
According to Ministry of Health records, 107 people were vaccinated in Ntoroko district and 524 in Kasese district as of November 17, 2018. Next week the vaccination exercise will start in Bundibugyo district. A total of 3,000 health workers will be vaccinated in the country.
The Health Ministry has said they are on the highest alert ever of Ebola Virus Disease EVD as the outbreak enters the fourth month and case numbers surpass 300 in the Democratic Republic of Congo DRC.
A member of the vaccination task force at Karugutu Health Center who preferred anonymity said that more than 40 health workers were vaccinated at the health facility.
Studies carried out by the Public Health Agency of Canada in 2016 found that the Ebola Zaire vaccine is 95-100 percent effective against the Ebola virus.
The health workers will be vaccinated using the Ebola Zaire vaccine. The vaccine is expected to arrive in the country today afternoon however vaccination will only start once the use of the vaccine has been approved by the Institutional Review Board-IRB.
Today, Ituri province Vice Governor Keta Upar said in a statement that the latest Ebola case had been reported in Tchomia on the shores of Lake Albert, making it the closest the disease has come to Uganda.
According to the Health Ministry, the funds will be used to implement a number of preventive methods including the procurement of permanent walk through scanners, surveillance in high risk districts, case management control, facilitate health workers in the high risk districts and vaccination if needed.
Christine Mandella, the Kabale District Health Officer, says they are on high alert to respond to any suspected cases of any hemorrhagic fever including Ebola.
Emmanuel Umirambe, the Inspector of Drugs at National Drug Authority, says they closed the two pharmacies in an operation aimed at clamping down on pharmacies and drug shops operating without the requisite requirements.
