Government develops Ebola prevention strategy
Ministry of Health has developed a comprehensive Ebola Preparedness and Response Plan to prepare Malawi for probable outbreak of the disease.
The ministry has said Malawi and other Southern African countries were at risk because some people were diagnosed with Ebola Virus Disease in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in August 2018.
In a statement signed by secretary for Health and Population, Beston Chisamile, the ministry says it is conducting an open simulation exercise in Chitipa and Karonga districts to test Malawi’s preparedness level.
The districts border Tanzania where World Health Organisation (WHO) says an Ebola case was reported. But Tanzania government dismissed such reports.
“As a continuation of implementation of the preparedness and response plan, the Ministry of Health and Population wishes to notify the general public that it is conducting an open small-scale filed simulation exercise in Chitipa and Karonga to test the preparedness level of the country,” the statement reads.
On Tuesday, for instance, Karonga District Hospital admitted a ‘staged’ Ebola patient from Mbilima in Chitipa.
Chisamile said the simulation exercise aims at providing policy makers, responders and funders with a picture of interventions and equipment that are in place.
The ministry has asked the general public to rush to hospitals if they develop Ebola signs such as severe fever, headache, vomiting, diarrhea, unexplained bleeding and general weakness.
WHO, on July 17 2019, declared Ebola a ‘Public Health Emergency of International Concern’ following the outbreak of the disease in the DRC.
