Radio presenters enlightened on Marburg virus

BUKOBA: IN efforts to control the spread of Marburg Virus Disease (MVD), radio presenters from 14 stations based in the Lake Zone Regions namely Mwanza, Kigoma, Shinyanga, Kagera, Simiyu and Mara have attended a three-days media training on correct reporting of the disease.

The training was facilitated by the Tanzania Development and Information Organisation (TADIO), in collaboration with the Ministry of Health (MoH) and was funded by UNICEF.

TADIO Chairman, Mr Baptist Mutesasira told the ‘Daily News’ that the training was crucial to enable reporters and radio presenters to report correctly on the Marburg disease.

“As efforts are being taken by the government to control the spread of the Marburg Virus Disease (MVD), the Tanzania Development and Information Organisation (TADIO), in collaboration with the Ministry of Health (MoH) has facilitated the training to enable presenters to report correctly on the Marburg disease,” he said.

He listed the radios as Kasibante FM, Karagwe FM, FADECO FM, Rumuli FM and Kwizera FM (Kagera), Joy FM, Uvinza FM, Buha FM (Kigoma), Kahama FM, Huheso FM, KM 24 FM (Shinyanga), Sibuka FM (Simiyu), Mazingira FM (Mara) and Sengerema FM (Mwanza). Mr Mutesasira explained that a recent report by IPSOS, a Global Market Research Organisation, indicated that the 14 Lake Zone-based FM radio stations have an audience of approximately 4.2 million.

This is a second media training following an initial training held in Bukoba Municipality on 28 January, this year that was attended by 132 reporters from various media outlets including print, TV, radio and bloggers, he said.

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Meanwhile, about 30 traditional healers in Biharamulo District have also been trained on the Marburg where the disease was recently reported.

Opening the training, Biharamulo District Commissioner Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police (SACP) Advera Bulimba urged the traditional healers to keep abreast with information given by the Ministry of Health (MoH).

“Traditional healers play a crucial role in controlling various diseases including Marburg. You are the first individuals who receive patients before they arrive at health facilities,” she said.

SACP Bulimba appealed to residents to keep abreast with instructions given by medical experts while also avoiding overcrowding in public gatherings and funerals.

“Concerted efforts are still needed to educate the public on the Marburg Virus Disease (MVD) and avoid outdated beliefs that contribute to spread of the disease.,” she said.

Elaborating, she said some of the residents were simply ignorant on the Marburg disease and do not heed to instructions given by health experts on how to avoid contracting the disease.

“We are still witnessing a large number of people attending marriage and funeral ceremonies in large numbers without taking any precaution. People need to be educated on the necessary steps to be taken including washing hands with soap and running water,” she said.

She commended President Samia Suluhu Hassan for responding quickly and taking necessary steps to control the Marburg Virus disease.

She appealed to residents to keep abreast with instructions given by medical experts while also avoiding overcrowding in public gatherings and funerals.

On 19 January, this year, Tanzania confirmed an outbreak of Marburg virus disease in the northwestern Kagera region after one case tested positive for the virus following investigations and laboratory analysis of suspected cases of the disease.

A total of 25 suspected cases have been reported as of 20 January 2025, all of whom have tested negative and are currently under close follow-up. The cases have been reported in Biharamulo district in Kagera Region.

Tanzania previously reported an outbreak of Marburg in March 2023 –the country’s first- in Kagera Region, in which a total of nine cases (eight confirmed and one probable) and six deaths were reported, with a case fatality ration of 67 per cent.

In the African region, previous outbreaks and sporadic cases have been reported in Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda, South Africa and Uganda.

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WHO is supporting Tanzanian health authorities to enhance key outbreak control measures including disease surveillance, testing, treatment, infection prevention and control, case management, as well as increasing public awareness among communities to prevent further spread of the virus.

Marburg virus disease is highly virulent and causes haemorrhagic fever. It belongs to the same family as the virus that causes Ebola virus disease. Illness caused by Marburg virus begins abruptly.

Patients present with high fever, severe headache and severe malaise. They may develop severe haemorrhagic symptoms within seven days.

Marburg virus is transmitted to people from fruit bats and spreads among humans through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected people, surfaces and materials.

Although several promising candidate medical countermeasures are currently undergoing clinical trials, there is no licensed treatment or vaccine for effective management or prevention of Marburg virus disease.

However, early access to treatment and supportive care- rehydration with oral or intravenous fluids- and treatment of specific symptoms, improve survival.