Two Ebola Suspects, who were being managed at the Isolation Unit at Oli Health Center Four have escaped, health officials in Arua City have revealed. The two adult suspects who had presented with symptoms of Ebola were undergoing case management for the third day after they were picked up from their homes within Arua City by the City Surveillance and Rapid Response Team following a tip from locals.
Cumulatively, Arua City has recorded 43 Ebola suspect contacts, six of them under care while 33 have cumulatively been discharged and two facility deaths, since the outbreak of the disease’ Currently, samples are being tested by Uganda Virus Research Institute-UVRI Laboratory in Arua City which makes it easier to test and get results for Ebola within three to four days.
Doctor Pontius Apangu the City Health Officer Arua City and Secretary to the Ebola Taskforce confirmed the escape of the suspects and appealed for more security and support for the isolation facility. It’s not clear why and how the suspects escaped from the double wire fenced isolation facility but it’s highly anticipated that inadequate food, water scarcity at the facility and psychological fear could have triggered their escape.
A few days ago, Arua city Ebola taskforce was forced to fundraise for the feeding of the suspects in isolation unit since their relatives are not allowed to either take for them food or visit them at the facility.
Jane Drijaru, the Nurse in charge of the Ebola isolation unit at Oli Health Center Four said due to shortage of food and inadequate water supply at the facility, managing suspects becomes difficult.
According to reports from the Ebola Taskforce, many partners have held back financial support to the unit on grounds that they can only come in fully when there is a positive case of Ebola at the facility. However, Betty Akello Otekat the Resident City Commissioner Arua and Chairperson Arua City Ebola Taskforce said as the Ministry of health prepares to send support for isolation cases, more effort should be put by all stakeholders to handle the Ebola response in the City.
Since the start of the response towards the fight against the spread of Ebola, no funds have been remitted to Arua by the Ministry of health out of over 200 million budgeted to support its planned activities on Ebola.-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
