The Minister of Health, Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng, has urged health workers and local leaders in the Tooro region to refrain from turning the Ebola outbreak into a money-making scheme.
Instead, she emphasized the need to utilize available resources effectively to manage the crisis, citing the government’s limited resources and the absence of a special budget for the Ebola outbreak.
Dr. Aceng issued the warning during an engagement with health workers and leaders from Tooro and Rwenzori regions, convened to discuss containment strategies, prevention measures, and the Ministry’s efforts to curb the spread of the virus.
The warning comes amid reports of a confirmed Ebola case in Fort Portal City, identified among six suspects admitted at Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital. The case is linked to a contact from the Ntoroko district outbreak.
Stanley Bayole, Resident City Commissioner (RCC) of Fort Portal and Chairperson of the Ebola Task Force, confirmed the case, highlighting the urgency of the situation.
In response, Dr. Ruth Aceng, Minister of Health, convened an urgent meeting with health workers and leaders from Tooro and surrounding regions to assess the current situation and reinforce containment measures.
The meeting included presentations from ground teams and the incident commander on the status of the outbreak and available resources.
During the meeting, Dr. Aceng disclosed the government’s constrained financial capacity to manage the outbreak, urging participants to avoid exploiting the crisis for personal gain.
The Health Minister also warned health workers against unnecessary exposure while attending to patients, emphasizing the need for strict adherence to safety protocols.
She outlined the measures the government has implemented to manage the crisis with its limited resources, including isolation protocols, contact tracing, and public awareness campaigns.
Dr. Aceng also directed the Ebola Task Force to reverse its decision to restrict parents from visiting their children in schools, warning that such measures could worsen the situation.
When questioned about the withdrawal of funding from health service partners for such disasters, Dr. Aceng assured stakeholders of the government’s commitment to mobilizing resources to address the crisis.
Participants at the meeting commended the government for its efforts and called on the Ministry of Health to equip Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital and other health centers to improve service delivery.
Fort Portal City has one confirmed Ebola case, six suspected cases, and over 20 contacts under isolation.
The situation remains critical, with efforts focused on containment and prevention.