Written by Catherine Ntabadde Monday, 06 August 2012 04:42
By John L. Ssengendo-Branch Focal Person URCS Masaka
On Saturday 4th August, 2012, officials at Kagadi Hospital in Kibaale District received items from Uganda Red Cross Society (URCS) as discharge package for the Ebola victims. The items were delivered by a team of URCS officials comprising URCS Morris Ayikanying the Senior Program Manager- Community Based Health and First Aid URCS, Paul Bitek- the Program Manager Community Based Health and First Aid and the Regional Program Manager Hoima Region, Fred Othieno.
These included plates, cups, mosquito nets, tarpaulins, and soap, blankets, water cans and mattresses. Each discharged patient will receive a package containing 2 blankets, 5 plates, 5 cups, 2 mosquito nets, 1 tarpaulin, 3 bars of soap, 2 water cans and a mattress.
To boost service delivery at the hospital, URCS has also deployed and trained 100 volunteers in precautionary practices, health safety and infection control practices of Ebola fever. The URCS volunteers have also been trained in social mobilization, sensitization and health promotion techniques. The training was conducted by World Health Organisation, Kibaale District and URCS experts.
URCS also supported the district with 60 sets of Personal Protective Equipment to enhance the logistics base of the response.
According to Fred Othieno, one URCS volunteer was assigned to the Ebola Alert Desk at the hospital, four volunteers are at the gate to disinfect visitors and staff. He further said four other volunteers are at the triage/screening center while 20 were deployed to work with the surveillance team.
URCS is the lead partner in social mobilization in communities, homes, markets and churches.
In addition, an Ebola Alert Desk has been set up to receive phone calls concerning any Ebola threats in the community. Phone numbers have been put up to this effect. These include 0774-451762, 0706-506294 and 0747-174555.
How it works at the Ebola Treatment Center at Kagadi Hospital
After an alert has been received, suspected cases are collected from the community and taken to Kagadi Hospital. These go through the triage/screening section before admitted to the respective wards. At this point, patients are examined and those suspected Ebola cases are then taken to the isolation center as they await their test results while normal cases are taken to other wards for normal treatment.
At the isolation center, patients are grouped in such a way that patients who await their test results are put in separate wards, confirmed Ebola cases are also put in a different isolation center for treatment while those responding to treatment and are recovering are placed in the recovery section awaiting discharging. This is basically to avoid any risks of infection and re-infection.
Ebola situation in the country On July 28, the Ministry and WHO confirmed an outbreak of the deadly Ebola haemorrhagic fever in Kibaale District, over 200km west of Kampala.
The incurable disease, caused by a virus initially killed 13 people in Nyaswiga Village in Nyamurunda Sub County. The affected families initially thought it was either witchcraft or evil spirits. As of August 6, 16 people had died of Ebola. 36 people are admitted at the isolation centre with over 253 cases being followed up IFRC support URCS also applied for a Disaster Relief Emergency Fund worth 226, 659 Swiss Francs (Ushs588m) from the IFRC to support its response operations. http://reliefweb.int/report/uganda/red-cross-delivers-relief-ebola-victims
By John L. Ssengendo-Branch Focal Person URCS Masaka
On Saturday 4th August, 2012, officials at Kagadi Hospital in Kibaale District received items from Uganda Red Cross Society (URCS) as discharge package for the Ebola victims. The items were delivered by a team of URCS officials comprising URCS Morris Ayikanying the Senior Program Manager- Community Based Health and First Aid URCS, Paul Bitek- the Program Manager Community Based Health and First Aid and the Regional Program Manager Hoima Region, Fred Othieno.
These included plates, cups, mosquito nets, tarpaulins, and soap, blankets, water cans and mattresses. Each discharged patient will receive a package containing 2 blankets, 5 plates, 5 cups, 2 mosquito nets, 1 tarpaulin, 3 bars of soap, 2 water cans and a mattress.
To boost service delivery at the hospital, URCS has also deployed and trained 100 volunteers in precautionary practices, health safety and infection control practices of Ebola fever. The URCS volunteers have also been trained in social mobilization, sensitization and health promotion techniques. The training was conducted by World Health Organisation, Kibaale District and URCS experts.
URCS also supported the district with 60 sets of Personal Protective Equipment to enhance the logistics base of the response.
According to Fred Othieno, one URCS volunteer was assigned to the Ebola Alert Desk at the hospital, four volunteers are at the gate to disinfect visitors and staff. He further said four other volunteers are at the triage/screening center while 20 were deployed to work with the surveillance team.
URCS is the lead partner in social mobilization in communities, homes, markets and churches.
In addition, an Ebola Alert Desk has been set up to receive phone calls concerning any Ebola threats in the community. Phone numbers have been put up to this effect. These include 0774-451762, 0706-506294 and 0747-174555.
How it works at the Ebola Treatment Center at Kagadi Hospital
After an alert has been received, suspected cases are collected from the community and taken to Kagadi Hospital. These go through the triage/screening section before admitted to the respective wards. At this point, patients are examined and those suspected Ebola cases are then taken to the isolation center as they await their test results while normal cases are taken to other wards for normal treatment.
At the isolation center, patients are grouped in such a way that patients who await their test results are put in separate wards, confirmed Ebola cases are also put in a different isolation center for treatment while those responding to treatment and are recovering are placed in the recovery section awaiting discharging. This is basically to avoid any risks of infection and re-infection.
Ebola situation in the country On July 28, the Ministry and WHO confirmed an outbreak of the deadly Ebola haemorrhagic fever in Kibaale District, over 200km west of Kampala.
The incurable disease, caused by a virus initially killed 13 people in Nyaswiga Village in Nyamurunda Sub County. The affected families initially thought it was either witchcraft or evil spirits. As of August 6, 16 people had died of Ebola. 36 people are admitted at the isolation centre with over 253 cases being followed up IFRC support URCS also applied for a Disaster Relief Emergency Fund worth 226, 659 Swiss Francs (Ushs588m) from the IFRC to support its response operations. http://reliefweb.int/report/uganda/red-cross-delivers-relief-ebola-victims
