Kagera heightens Ebola surveillance at borders, schools
KAGERA: AUTHORITIES in Kagera Region have stepped up Ebola surveillance by directing schools to screen all students arriving from neighbouring countries affected by the disease, as part of efforts to prevent its spread into Tanzania.
Kagera Regional Health Officer, Mr Yassin Mwinori, instructed headteachers across the region’s eight councils to ensure that every student arriving from neighbouring countries with reported Ebola cases undergoes health screening.
“Although Tanzania remains free of Ebola, Kagera’s proximity to affected countries requires heightened vigilance. Every student arriving from neighbouring countries with reported cases must be screened,” Mr Mwinori said.
He urged health workers and grassroots leaders to intensify surveillance and preventive measures following reported Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda.
According to Mr Mwinori, the government has strengthened preparedness by enhancing cross-border surveillance, conducting thermal screening at key entry points, including Mutukula in Missenyi District and Kabanga in Ngara District and equipping isolation centres across the region for rapid detection and response.
He said about 7,000 community health workers have been deployed across the eight councils, while more than 72,000 travelers have so far been screened for Ebola.
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Mr Mwinori also appealed to the media to support public awareness campaigns on Ebola prevention.
“The media plays a vital role in controlling disease outbreaks. We urge journalists to educate the public on preventive measures being implemented by the government,” he said.
He further called on religious leaders to sensitise communities on Ebola preparedness, disease prevention and the importance of seeking medical care immediately after symptoms appear.
Village leaders in border areas have also been encouraged to work with local militia to strengthen surveillance at unofficial entry points, while owners of entertainment venues have been urged to comply with public health regulations, including screening visiting performers.
Bordering Rwanda, Burundi and Uganda and sharing Lake Victoria with Kenya, Kagera has previously experienced outbreaks of Ebola, Marburg, Covid-19 and cholera.
The region has several official border entry points, including Mutukula, Kabanga, Rusumo, Murongo, Kaisho, Kanyigo, Kashenye, Bugabo and Rubafu.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is spreading faster than previous outbreaks.
WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the 2018-2020 Ebola outbreak in the DRC took more than 10 months to reach 2,000 confirmed cases, whereas the current outbreak surpassed that figure in just two months, with 796 deaths recorded.
