Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital has implemented strict measures, including limiting caretakers per patient to reduce congestion and minimise the risk of transmission.
Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital has ruled out an Ebola outbreak after two suspected cases caused alarm, particularly when a patient died before test results confirmed they were Ebola-negative.
However, the hospital is grappling with an ongoing Mpox outbreak, managing 18 active cases amid efforts to contain its spread.
The hospital has implemented strict measures, including limiting caretakers per patient to reduce congestion and minimise the risk of transmission.
Authorities have urged the public to remain vigilant, as Mbarara has yet to receive the Ebola vaccine despite its availability in the country.
On Sunday, the hospital admitted two suspected Ebola patients–a 15-year-old boy and a 19-year-old girl–who exhibited symptoms such as bloody diarrhoea, fever, and headaches.
The boy died before results confirmed the absence of Ebola, heightening public concern.
Dr Deus Twesigye, the acting hospital director, reassured the public that there are currently no confirmed Ebola cases at the facility but warned against complacency.
“You get fevers. You might think you have malaria. You experience muscle pains, become very weak, and get headaches. Some members report chest pains,” he said, urging the public to monitor symptoms and adopt preventive measures such as handwashing, avoiding handshakes, and limiting gatherings.
An isolation unit at Mbarara Hospital Twesigye also noted that while an Ebola vaccine is available in Uganda, Mbarara has yet to begin vaccinations.
“I have come to understand that there is a vaccine in the country. Here in Mbarara, we haven’t started the exercise,” he said.
Meanwhile, the mpox outbreak has posed additional challenges, with 18 out of 88 registered cases still undergoing treatment.
Denis Atuhaire, an mpox patient, shared his experience, saying he unknowingly contracted the virus after sleeping on a bed previously used by an infected person.
“You develop simple swellings and feel like someone developing a UTI,” Atuhaire explained.
His prolonged isolation has affected his livelihood. “The work I was doing is at a standstill. While here, we don’t work,” he lamented.
The financial burden of treating Mpox patients has also strained the hospital, particularly in providing food. Halson Kagure, the hospital’s Public Relations Officer, acknowledged the difficulties.
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“At the infectious disease treatment centre, we have successfully managed these patients of Mpox, but we have been finding it a little bit difficult in providing food. This has been stretching us at the hospital,” he said.
To curb further infections, the hospital has restricted the number of caretakers allowed per patient, a move aimed at reducing congestion.
“When a person is sick, and even if they’re an outpatient, they are likely to come with three to four caretakers,” Twesigye noted. “We are now reducing caretakers and limiting a patient to one individual.”
As Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital tightens containment measures, officials urge the public to stay cautious and adhere to health guidelines to prevent further spread of both Ebola and Mpox.
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Publish date : 2025-02-06 17:32:17
