Psychologists join Ebola team

By Vision Reporters

A combined team of psychosocial experts from Mulago and Butabika hospitals in Kampala has arrived in Kibaale district which has recorded several cases of Ebola heamorragic fever.

Psychosocial intervention is the process of helping meet a person’s emotional, social, mental and spiritual needs to decrease the traumatic consequences of disasters.

Twenty-one people are believed to have succumbed to the deadly haemorrhagic fever, although only three of them were confirmed positive for the virus that causes Ebola.

The cause of death of 16 of the initial cases was never established because their blood samples were never collected for testing since their bodies had already been buried.

The remaining five of the 21 are said to have died over the weekend, four in the community and one at the isolation centre. Test results from the samples of the deceased people had not been ascertained by yesterday, but their sicknesses presented with the symptoms exhibited by those who had been found with Ebola. All the five were buried by the health teams.

While inspecting Kagadi Hospital on Saturday, the health minister, Dr. Christine Ondoa, announced that risk allowances for the health workers involved in the fight against Ebola will be increased. So far, one health worker, her baby and younger sister are the three people who succumbed to the disease.

Ondoa, the World Health Organisation representative, Dr. Joaquim Saweka and the director general of health services, Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng, visited the hospital.

Finance state minister and area MP Matia Kasaija also visited the hospital.

According to Ondoa, her ministry needs sh3b to help in the fight against Ebola.

She said the ministry’s resources have been stretched by different epidemics that have been breaking out.

The Ministry of Health’s spokesperson, Rukia Nakamatte, said there were no new Ebola deaths. She said samples from 24 out of the 36 people, who were admitted in the isolated facility at Kagadi, have been found negative of the Ebola virus.

She said another 351 people were listed for follow up, 291 of whom are already being followed up, although they are not admitted.

The follow-up period lasts 21 days and if no symptoms have manifested by the end of that time, one is declared Ebola-free.

The case that was suspected in Amuria has also turned out to be negative of Ebola.