Masindi medic, nurse in Ebola unit

By Kyetume Kasanga THE medical officer and a nurse who were getting treatment for Ebola in their respective homes in Masindi have been admitted to the isolation unit, health officials have said. Paul Kaggwa, assistant commissioner health services, said Francis Nyakoojo and Mary Kabwongera were admitted over the weekend. The medics contracted the disease while working in the isolation unit together. They had earlier on declined to be admitted there after blood tests in Gulu confirmed they had contracted the disease saying they did not feel ill. The failure to isolate them had caused widespread panic among the population. Solomon Isingoma the LC 1 chairman of Kinogozi where Kabwongera resides said residents were scared and some had fled the area. The state minister for local government, Dr. Phillip Byaruhanga said it was wrong to keep Ebola patients at home. He directed that the medics be isolated immediately. Byaruhanga who led the district parliamentary group to meet town councilors in the town chambers appealed to the population to be on the look out and report Ebola suspects if the disease is to be contained. A WHO expert on ebola Dr. Nestor Ndayimirige said Dr. Nyakoojo had asked for another test to confirm whether he had recovered. Ndayimirige said the patients did not have symptoms and would be out of danger if they followed instructions strictly. This brings to three the number of health staff admitted to the unit. Angelo Drani, a male nurse, was admitted recently. Two others, a cleaner and an ambulance driver, were also admitted but died later. Meanwhile, on Friday two separate meetings of Masindi leaders were held to discuss the ebola problem, reports Dan Byobyonka. At the meeting, councilors accused the chairman of the district task force, John Majara Nyakoojo, and members of the team of paying themselves and leaving out nurses and drivers. Majara is also the LC5 chairman. Ends.