Rubavu residents want more sanitary equipment installed at the two official Rwanda-DR Congo border crossings in their town after two cases of Mpox were confirmed in the country on July 27.
The East African Community (EAC) Secretariat has also called on partner states to educate their citizens on how to protect themselves and prevent the spread of Mpox (Monkeypox), a viral infection that is deadly. The New Times on Monday, July 29, visited the Rwanda-DR Congo border, especially the very busy Petite Barrière crossing in Gisenyi Sector.
ALSO READ: Rwanda 'well-prepared' to handle mpox outbreak, says health official
According to area residents, especially the business community in the town, there is lack of enough active hygienic facilities such as hand washing facilities.
"Installing the 'Step and Wash' facilities is very necessary here so that everyone can wash their hands. Again, more community mobilisation is essential so that people remain vigilant and aware that the epidemic exists," said Patience Ganza, an MTN agent at Petite Barrière, where one washing station was elected. Another one was at the Rubavu Cross Border Market, the main market in the town.
On the other hand, there are some border residents who are unaware of the Mpox outbreak or its symptoms.
ALSO READ: EAC urges increased public awareness to prevent spread of 'deadly' Monkeypox
Claude Umuhoza, a taxi-moto rider in Rubavu town, admitted that he doesn't know much about the disease but noted that "we feel scared."
Angelique Akaliza, a business woman engaged in small scale cross-border trade, knows that hand washing is vital, yet she has "no clue" about the outbreak.
"We have embraced washing hands for combating bacteria. I have never heard of that [Mpox]. We are always busy in a quick-business world," Akaliza added.
According to Joseph Mugwaneza, a board member of C-Tech, a local company running Rubavu Cross Border Market, the management launched mobilisation to make sure everyone getting in the market washes their hands.
"We're mobilising business people so that they should practice hand washing and avoid shaking hands to prevent the disease," he noted.
Mugwaneza added that "the two countries can jointly work together and set new measures to fight against more infections" spreading.
Speaking to The New Times, the Executive Secretary of Gisenyi Sector, Jean Bosco Tuyishime, noted that "we continue conducting mobilisation, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, urging the population to comply with hygienic practices and avoid shaking hands when greeting."
He said the sector's administration was collaborating with other stakeholders to install or repair sanitary facilities where possible.
Last month, reports indicated that a new strain of the mpox virus spreading quickly along the eastern border of DR Congo was "incredibly worrying", according health officials monitoring its spread. The EACs call for heightened public awareness follows reports from the World Health Organization (WHO) that Burundi and DR Congo are experiencing an outbreak of the viral Mpox disease.
Burundi has confirmed three cases of Mpox in Bujumbura and Isare, verified by national laboratories and the WHO. The Burundian health ministry has assured the public that measures are in place to manage the disease, with patients currently receiving treatment and showing improvement, reads an EAC statement. Two cases of mpox were confirmed in Rwanda on July 27.
ALSO READ: Mpox: Communal vigilance is our best defence
Since 2022, DR Congo has reported over 21,000 cases and more than 1,000 deaths, according to WHO. In 2023, there were 14,626 cases and 654 deaths, and by the end of May 2024, 7,851 cases and 384 deaths had been reported. Many of those infected are children under five (39%), and nearly two-thirds (62%) of the deaths are also among children. Health experts have identified a new strain of the virus in one part of the country.
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To reduce the risk of contracting Mpox, the public is advised to:
- Avoid contact with individuals diagnosed with the virus or those who may be infected;
- Wear a face mask when in close contact with symptomatic individuals;
- Use personal protective equipment when caring for confirmed or suspected cases;
- Wash hands with soap and water or use alcohol-based sanitizers after contact with infected persons or animals;
- Regularly wash clothing and bedsheets at high temperatures;
- Ensure meat is thoroughly cooked before consumption; and
- Avoid contact with sick animals, particularly rodents and non-human primates, and refrain from handling bush meat.
