Ebola: Kyegegwa seeks Shs19 million to operationalise isolation centre

The Kyegegwa District Ebola taskforce is seeking Shs19 million to equip the newly built isolation centre at Kyegegwa Hospital.

The need to equip the isolation centre has been stimulated by the spread of the Ebola virus to the district where one death has been confirmed with another still under investigation. Several other Ebola suspects are currently admitted at Mubende Regional Referral Hospital.

The Kyegegwa Acting District Health Officer, Dr Tedson Kadole, said that the Ebola outbreak came at a time when the district had no functioning isolation centre.

He said the newly built isolation centre structure was put up with help from Red Cross during the Covid-19 but has been non-functional because of a lack of basic equipment.

“Our isolation centre is not functional because it is not equipped. We have discussed it in our Ebola task force and we agreed to have it equipped. I have hope it will be functional,” Dr Kadole said.

He fears that the Mubende regional referral hospital where they are referring all suspected cases is likely to be overwhelmed.

The Kyegegwa District Chairman, Mr John Kisoke, said the response plan budget for the isolation centre is only Shs19 million, which the Ministry of Health can easily release.

Need for ambulance

Dr Kadole said since the outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease in the district, they have been relying on ambulances from development partners and organizations to evacuate Ebola suspects to Mubende hospital.

“It is over six months when we are using an ambulance from a partner which is also not sustainable. We have requested the Ministry of Health to give us an ambulance. They promised to send us one which we are waiting,” he said.

The district ambulance was involved in the accident in November 2021 and it’s currently grounded at the district headquarters.