By KT Reporter
Luwero district has embarked on conducting mortality audits on all non-traumatic deaths due to epidemics and emerging infectious diseases.
On January, 30th this year the Ministry of Health announced an Ebola Sudan virus outbreak after a 32-year-old male nurse from Mulago Hospital died. Since then at least 14 cases of Ebola Sudan have been reported and four people have been killed across the country.
Luwero district is yet to register any case of Ebola Sudan virus but 65 Mpox cases have been reported since the first case was confirmed in the area on November 1st, 2024.
Dr Innocent Nkonwa the Luwero District Health Officer said that the department has heightened surveillance to detect the viral infections and ensure the patients receive medical treatment in time.
Nkonwa explains that Luwero district is a hotspot for epidemics due to its proximity to Kampala city, the presence of Bombo Military Barracks, and the Kampala-Gulu highway where movement of people can easily encourage the spread of the diseases.
Nkonwa says that as a result, the District with the support of the Ministry of Health has embarked on picking blood samples from each person who dies either in community or health centers and transferring them to the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) to rule out the possibility of death as a result of viral infection.
Nkonwa said that in case they detect any viral infection that may include Ebola Sudan virus, Mpox, Marburg, Crimean Congo Hemorrhagic Fever and others, the district surveillance will immediately take necessary measures to stop the spread of the virus in the family or community.
He adds that in case any person possesses signs related to the viral infections before death, the district may delay his or her burial till results from samples are released and thereafter surveillance takes over final arrangements.
Nkonwa says that the purpose of the mortality audits is to detect the viral infection on time and take swift action to stop the spread to the community as well as the country.
He however noted that the mortality audits won’t be required for all traumatic deaths including accidents, falls, murders and fire outbreaks among others.
The blood samples will be picked up by health workers and transported to the district through the hub system before they are transferred to UVRI. The results for blood samples are expected to be released after 24 hours.
John Baptist Mpiima the LCI Chairperson of Kiwogozi village in Luwero town council says that although the objective for mortality audits is good, the health workers may face resistance from bereaved families to conduct them if more sensitization is not done.
Christine Nakamanya the Luwero District Vice Chairperson said that the District Task Force on Monkey and Ebola are also active to ensure that they assess the progress of measures to fight the outbreaks.
Nakamanya however asked the Ministry of Health to support the District Surveillance Team to ensure that it can respond in time in case of the disease outbreak.
“The District Surveillance Team has tried to respond and offer support to hospitals to manage the patients of Mpox disease. But the team may not respond to the ebola outbreak because they lack resources” Nakamanya said.
Luwero District Chief Administrative Officer Innocent Asaba has issued a directive to all In charge of government health facilities to use 5% of their Primary Health Care grants to fight Mpox and Ebola outbreaks till more support is provided.
On Tuesday, the Ministry of Health deployed a team to train the District Task Force on Risk Communication and Community Engagement in the fight against ebola as well as Mpox outbreaks-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
