Bukoba — THE government has allocated 2bn/- for construction of an isolation centre in Kagera Region that is expected to accommodate patients with emergency cases such as Ebola and Marburg virus disease (MVD).
Kagera Regional Commissioner (RC), Mr Albert Chalamila commended President Samia Suluhu Hassan for allocating such funds for the construction. Equally, he tasked District Executive Directors (DEDs) in Bukoba DC, Muleba, Missenyi and Karagwe to identify suitable land at least ten acres where the isolation centre will be constructed.
Mr Chalamila made the remarks yesterday during a meeting he convened at his office which was attended by District Executive Directors (DEDs) from Bukoba DC, Muleba, Missenyi, Karagwe and education stakeholders, among others.
"On behalf of all Kagera residents I thank President Dr Samia for allocating 2bn/- for the construction of an isolation centre in the region, which will serve patients confirmed to have contracted diseases such as Ebola and Marburg viruses (MVD)", he said.
Elaborating, he said the isolation centre project was expected to cost between 7/- to 10bn/- and will be equipped with modern medical equipment to meet all the required standards in dealing with emergency cases such as Ebola and Marburg virus disease (MVD), he said.
Mr Chalamila explained that when the government confirmed the Marburg virus disease (MVD) among eight patients in Bukoba Rural district's Maruku and Kanyangereko Wards President Samia acted swiftly by sending a team of more than 30 medical doctors to contain the spread of the disease.
Out of the eight confirmed Marburg cases five patients died while three others were admitted to a health facility while one of the patients had recovered and was discharged last week.
MVD is a rare but severe hemorrhagic fever that affects both people and non-human primates. MVD is caused by the Marburg virus, a genetically unique zoonotic (or animal- borne) RNA virus of the filovirus family.
The Minister for Health, Ms Ummy Mwalimu said that there is no need to worry because the viral disease is now under control and is not new. It was reported several times in neighbouring Uganda in 2017, 2014, 2012, and 2007. Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) from 1998 to 2000, America and Europe.
"There is no cause for alarm. We will collaborate with our neighbours to make sure that those who will be detected with the disease are given timely treatment.
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The government has continued to strengthen measures to control further spread of Marburg disease detected in Kagera Region, including employing over 1,300 Community Health Workers (CWS) who will be deployed to the region's villages," she said.
She called upon the public to take preventive measures and report individuals with symptoms including fever, headaches and severe bleeding in various open body parts.
Other symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea and dysfunction of the kidney, she said noting that there is no specific treatment for Marburg virus disease but supportive hospital therapy is done on the symptoms.
"The Marburg virus is transmitted from one human to another through direct contact with body fluids from infected persons or contact with equipment and other materials contaminated with infectious blood or tissues, infected blood and body fluids of infected people.
Infection can also occur from animals to human beings in the case a person eats or touches the corpses of infected animals," said Ms Mwalimu.
According to reports from the World Health Organisation (WHO) the disease was first confirmed in Marburg, Germany in 1967. At some point the disease has also been reported in various African and European countries.
