Health

Ebola outbreak, Authorities monitor schools as parents get stuck

1 view0
By
By Jessica Sabano
Mubende
Authorities in Mubende District have started monitoring the health of pupils in various schools after confirming the first Ebola case at one of the primary schools last week in Mubende municipality.
This has also left parents stuck as they can not visit their children to provide requirements after going into lockdown.
The Resident District Commissioner Ms. Rose Mary Byabasaija, said it is true that  they confirmed positive Ebola case for a seven-year-old pupil, but the surveillance and medical teams will continue to closely monitor the health of the other pupils noting that the health teams have a set of strict guidelines for schools.
“The seven-year-old pupil’s mother succumbed to Ebola two weeks ago. Since the pupil reported to school, health officials have confirmed that they are following up and monitoring the health statuses of various contacts,” she said.
Mr Bernard Lubwama, a health educator attached to the Ministry of Health, called for team work and adherence to health alert guidelines while briefing school heads and proprietors of learning institutions in Mubende Municipality.
“The schools are supposed to take temperatures of children and act immediately on cases where a particular child has a temperature above 380C,” he said.
He also said while the temperature may occasionally rise above 370C a child who maintains a temperature above 380C for more than five minutes must be referred for further management without delay.
Schools have also been urged to keep proper records about children who are absent from school for more than two days.
School heads have been asked to Investigate the children who report a case of death at their respective families and dig out the details in coordination with the health surveillance teams.
However parents with children in boarding schools are worried as cases increase noting that children risk contracting the virus.
Juma Kaweesi a parent to four children in boarding schools in the municipality said through a phone contact that he is concerned of his children that are not in his care at the moment and monitoring alone by the authorities is not enough.
” It’s better to stay with our children during the lockdown because as a parent i can look after my children very well than at school in such outbreaks,” he said.
Madudu, one of the affected sub-counties in Mubende, has reported 16 cases and seven deaths. This is 30 percent of the cases and 37 percent of deaths. A total of 15 sub-counties in the five affected districts have reported cases and or deaths, according to government statistics. Affected districts include Mubende, Kassanda, Kyegegwa, Kagadi and Bunyangabu.
Do you have a story in your community or an opinion to share with us: Email us at editor@scribe.co.ug or Whatsapp +256774034989

What's your reaction?

Excited
0
Happy
0
In Love
0
Not Sure
0
Silly
0
Previous
Next

You may also like

Comments are closed.

More in:Health