South Sudan still free from Ebola, health partners say

15 Oct 2014

South Sudan still free from Ebola, health partners say

15 October 2014 - South Sudan remained free of the Ebola and Marburg viruses, senior government and World Health Organization (WHO) officials said in Juba this week.

Addressing a press conference on 13 October, Health Minister Riek Gai Kok said the Ebola outbreak in West Africa was a public health risk to other states, including South Sudan, but the government and its partners were making all efforts to prevent its occurrence in the country.

In countries neighbouring South Sudan, two outbreaks of Ebola and Marburg have been confirmed in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda respectively.

“The Ministry of Health is taking stringent measures to ensure that residents of South Sudan are safe by conducting screening of all travelers arriving in the country at all international ports of entry,” said Dr. Kok.

He added that the ministry and partners had also set up an isolation unit at Juba Teaching Hospital and were setting up more in all at-risk locations to prepare for any eventualities.

The minister dispelled rumours that Ebola had arrived in the country, which were based on the case of a Kenyan woman who departed from Juba International Airport on 11 October and died on arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi due to vaginal bleeding.

“Any bleeding or death due to bleeding is likely to scare the public due to the ongoing Ebola and Marburg viruses,” he noted. “South Sudan maintains an Ebola and Marburg free status.”

WHO Country Representative Abdi Aden Mohamed reiterated that efforts had been made to strengthen the surveillance system in South Sudan.

“The surveillance system in South Sudan is very effective,” he said. “At the moment, this country is Ebola free.”

According to a recent WHO update, a joint national Ebola taskforce was formed and a preparedness plan developed to guide its activities. Corresponding taskforce committees have been activated to coordinate preparedness at state level.

WHO also noted that heavy personal protection equipment had been procured and prepositioned at key state hospitals and points of entry, and tents were in place for rapid establishment of isolation facilities.

In addition to screening at Juba airport, a phased rollout of screening at border entry points is underway with priority given to Nimule at the country’s border with Uganda.

“Surveillance officers have been trained on the Ebola virus diseases and surveillance requirements starting with the high-risk states,” the update said, noting that more than 500 health workers, including doctors, nurses, clinical officers and laboratory technicians, had received training to enhance case detection, reporting and management.

“To reduce the turn-around time for results, an agreement has been reached with the Uganda Virus Research Institute in Entebbe to test suspected Ebola samples,” the update revealed. “So far, two samples have been tested and results obtained within 24 hours.”

Health partners were also engaged in countrywide awareness-raising through radio messages, posters, and brochures on Ebola prevention and control, as well as signs and symptoms.