Busia Municipality Launches Door-to-Door Ebola Awareness Campaign

Ministry of Health on May 15th confirmed an outbreak of Bundibugyo (Ebola) Virus,  after an imported case was detected involving a Congolese man who died in Kampala following an outbreak declared a day earlier in DR Congo.

The ministry came up with Standard Operating Procedures that include avoiding handshakes, social distancing, regular hand sashing, and avoiding body contact.

Now a team of Busia Municipality health authorities together with Generation U,  a non-government organisation have joined hands to volunteer on sensitizing community members to observe the standard operating procedures -SOPs.

They were seen moving in 24 villages that makes up Busia Municipality, markets, customs and taxi park among others in an exercise will last a period of 2 weeks.

Moses Okurut, the Busia Municipality Principal Health Inspector-PHI said that they want community members to be alert by puting in place massive surveillance by asking residents to observe the SOPs put in place, especially in Busia’s high rist due to its location at the border.

Bishop Moses Barasa, the director of Generation U said that they have observed that there’s no one minding about their lives but observing the operation procedure, this has forced them to wake up because life of people is at risk because of the truck drivers.

He said that Busia border receive on daily basis many truck drivers who enter into and exit the country and some of them are from areas where Ebola cases were registered.

Ali Wadedeya, the chairperson of Busia-Kampala taxi stage said they are happy with the sensitization and it has awakened them to put in place the required measures like handwashing facilities, and sanitizers. They are yet to come up with managing passengers because they are still observing situation. 

He is wary of the trucks’ congestion at Busia customs as it puts them at risk in case Ebola reaches the area. 

Ouma Ouke, one of the drivers, said that he is going to buy a sanitizer so that every passenger who enters his taxi puts on face mask and gets sanitized.

Bosco Ochunju, a Busia Municipality councilor said that the sensitization has come timely because Busia border is one of the busiest border points with many businesses and it will help protect the life of residents.