Isles step up disease surveillance
ZANZIBAR: ZANZIBAR is strengthening health surveillance at its ports and airports to prevent the possible spread of infectious diseases, with officials calling for improved passenger screening, emergency preparedness and closer cooperation between transport and health authorities.
Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Second VicePresident, Dr Islam Seif Salum, urged port and airport managers to fulfil their responsibilities effectively and address operational challenges that could undermine efforts to detect health risks among incoming travellers.
He made the call during an inspection tour to assess passenger screening procedures and early-warning measures for controlling infectious diseases at the islands’ entry points.
“My visit aimed to evaluate existing passenger inspection procedures, preliminary health screening services and challenges facing officials responsible for detecting potential health risks at entry points,” Dr Salum said.
He emphasised the need for timely action to address identified gaps and ensure that surveillance systems remained effective in protecting residents and visitors.
The heightened vigilance follows regional health concerns over recent Ebola outbreaks and reported cases across several countries, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya and Nigeria.
Executive Director of the Zanzibar Disaster Management Commission, Mr Makame Khatib Makame, said transport and health officials needed to address shortcomings identified during the inspection to ensure preventive measures operated efficiently.
“Early preparedness is essential to protecting the health of both residents and visitors,” he said, adding that effective disease monitoring would enable authorities to respond promptly to potential threats.
Mr Makame also stressed the importance of strengthening screening systems and ensuring that relevant authorities were immediately notified whenever a public health emergency arose.
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Director of Preventive Services and Health Education, Dr Faiza Abass, said the Ministry of Health would continue public awareness campaigns, including educating boat captains about infection prevention and procedures for reporting suspected health risks.
She said such education would help transport operators recognise warning signs and alert health authorities for further assessment.
Dr Abass warned that passengers using informal landing sites, commonly known as bandari bubu, could bypass established screening procedures, creating potential routes for infectious diseases to enter and spread across the islands.
She called for greater awareness among boat operators and communities to encourage compliance with preventive measures and discourage the use of uncontrolled entry points.
Zanzibar Ports Corporation Director of Security and Safety, Mr Ussi Mshimba Mbarouk, said the corporation would cooperate with transport companies to resolve operational challenges and improve port activities.
He said Zanzibar’s international connections made collaboration between transport authorities and health professionals essential to ensuring appropriate screening procedures were followed.
