Prime Minister Justin Nsengiyumva has said the Ebola situation in the region is being closely monitored, noting that Rwanda has strengthened its prevention and response measures to protect citizens. He said this during a press briefing on June 6 on Rwanda’s current economic situation and issues affecting the daily lives of citizens. ALSO READ: Rwanda steps up screening at border crossings despite no Ebola case “The Ebola outbreak continues to be reported in the eastern region of Africa. However, Rwanda has strengthened its prevention measures, monitoring and we are confident in protecting the lives of our citizens without disrupting economic activities and the normal social life of the population,” he noted. He added that the Ministry of Health and the Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC) will continue to closely monitor the situation and regularly inform the public on preventive measures. “However, we should not be complacent; we must remain vigilant, maintain good hygiene, and anyone showing symptoms should go to a health facility,” he said. Dr Sabin Nsanzimana, the Minister of Health, said preparedness for any outbreak depends on five key pillars. “First is communication and awareness. Second is surveillance. Third is detection capacity. Fourth is both physical and medical response capacity. And fifth is mindset and human resources,” he said. He noted that Rwanda has been consistently strengthening its systems across these areas, with a strong focus on prevention. ALSO READ: Seven things to know about the latest Ebola outbreak in DR Congo “The goal is prevention; we do not want to be in a situation where we are reacting after the fact. We follow closely what is happening in the region, especially near our borders, so that we are not caught off guard.” Nsanzimana added that surveillance systems are actively monitoring developments in neighbouring countries to better understand trends and track any potential spread. On diagnostics, he said Rwanda has the capacity to quickly detect cases, including at border points. “We can test and identify them quickly. In many cases, we can return results within six hours, which is very important for response.” He also noted ongoing training and simulation exercises for health and response teams to ensure readiness. “We conduct regular simulations so that teams are not caught unprepared. We train those who handle patients, those involved in clinical care, and even communication teams. This ensures coordination and readiness,” he added.
