SURVIVING SUDAN EBOLA VIRUS IN KASSANDA, HOW HEALTH WORKERS KEPT ALERT
By Goodluck Musinguzi
Health workers in the Kassanda district in Uganda were at the forefront of responding to another serious infectious disease called the Sudan Ebola Virus. Dr Diana Atwine, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Health declared an Ebola outbreak, caused by the Sudan species of the virus.
Dr Jane Ruth Aceng and Dr Diana Atwine led the senior management to beef up the weak health system in the Kassanda district. When development partners visited they were impressed by the commitment & compassion of the healthcare workers & Village Health Teams met. Their hard work means there are survivors of this deadly disease! An effective ebola response requires partnerships among the government, CSOs and partners.
But, Gloria not her real name, a Midwife who contracted Ebola in the course of her duty and miraculously survived, decided to continue with her work until the 69 days ended when Uganda was cleared of the Sudan Ebola Virus. “I will continue to love and serve”, she vowed as she was introduced as one of the survivors of Ebola.
In a sombre mood, with tears flowing freely, Gloria narrated how she unknowingly contracted Ebola while helping a mother in labour. “I came in contact with her blood which is common in my work, but after one week, I fell sick with symptoms of Ebola”, she narrated.
What Did Health Workers in Uganda Need to End the Current Ebola Outbreak?
Her condition deteriorated and she was eventually transferred to Fort portal Referral Hospital in Kabalore for advanced care. Luckily, the country’s disease surveillance system had picked up leads of hemorrhagic fever outbreak. Gloria was thus handled with extreme care in transportation and on arrival in the Fort portal.
Patients were only given supportive care and treatment according to the most evident signs and symptoms. That is exactly what Gloria received at Fort portal as she embarked on a slow, painful recovery process.
The survivors are gathering the courage to tell the stories of how they survived.
Our great thanks goes to the Ps , the minister of health and the entire health worker’s
Yes. They did a good work to save us