NORTHERN PROVINCE BURERA—A medical team has arrived at Cyanika border post with Uganda to bolster district efforts in preventing a possible spillover of the deadly Ebola virus in the country. The Ministry of Health team from Kigali made up of physicians, laboratory technicians and nurses is equipped with blood test kits with bio-hazard specimen shipper. They screen people entering Rwanda from the areas reported to be affected with Ebola at a temporary clinic set up at the border with personal protection equipment (PPE) to safeguard medical staff. All those entering the country are required to reveal their areas of origin and their residences in the past three weeks. Addressing the medics and local authorities on Friday, the state Minister in charge of Aids and other infectious diseases, Dr. Innocent Nyaruhirira, urged the public to be vigilant and careful by employing all the possible measures to prevent the disease. “The challenge lies to every body to understand the signs and ways of self protection,’’ Dr Nyaruhirira said. He said that nothing should be taken for granted. “We can not wait for it [Ebola] to attack us, but take up precautious measures,” he said. He said every body needed to understand common symptoms such as diarrhea, body pains, vomiting and other strange symptoms and rush to the nearest clinic. Similar screening has been reported at all Rwandan borders with Uganda. According to Dr. Valens Hafashimana, director of Butaro hospital, residents have been issued with brochures detailing how one can contract the disease, the early signs and precautionary measures to avoid possible contraction. Residents have also been told to avoid shaking hands, getting in touch with dead bodies and also be vigilant on visitors especially those from the affected Ugandan districts of Bundibugyo, Mbarara, and Fort portal. The hemorrhagic fever which has claimed 24 people in Uganda including medics has compelled the Rwandan Ministry of Health to take high precautionary measures to avoid any possible outbreak including setting up a telephone hotline. Ends
