The European Union has announced an emergency funding of 3.5 million Euros (Shs 14bn) to strengthen rapid detection and reaction to Ebola cases in Uganda and South Sudan.
Emmanuel Davies Gyezaho, the press and information officer, European Union Delegation to Uganda, says that out of released funds, 2.5 million euros (about Shs 10.7 billion) is for Uganda and 1 million euros (about Shs 4 billion) for South Sudan.
The released funds will be for strengthening disease surveillance at community level, health facilities and points of entry, training of rapid response teams of healthcare and frontline workers on contact-tracing and infection prevention and control measures.
Other areas that the funding will cover are; rendering psycho-social support, capacity-building by equipping medical treatment facilities, carrying out community awareness- and ensuring safe and dignified burials.
Gyezaho adds that the funding comes on top of the 17 million euros which the European Union has been giving out since 2018 for Ebola response and also to support prevention in DRC and preparedness actions in Uganda, South Sudan, Rwanda and Burundi.
While releasing the funds, Christos Stylianides, commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis management and EU Ebola coordinator stressed that the EU are doing all they can to save lives and stop further Ebola cases.
"Today, our main task is not only to help the Democratic Republic of Congo, but also assist neighbouring countries like Uganda. Here, our funding is helping with surveillance, work with local communities, and boosting local capacities for these countries to take timely and effective action. We are committed to continue our assistance to bring this outbreak to an end, for as long as it takes." Commissioner Stylianides said.
Updated information from the ministry of Health indicate that Uganda has so far registered three confirmed cases of Ebola of which two victims succumbed to the deadly epidemic with most recent being a 50-year-old grad mother and the first index who was five years old.
The other confirmed case is a three-year-old who is a brother to the first index case who this morning has been repatriated to DRC.
At the moment screening at all points of entry including Mpondwe border post, Bwera, and Entebbe airport has been increased.
Temperatures of all people entering Uganda are being taken using infra-red thermometer. There is also a scheduled ring vaccination schedule for Friday.
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