KAMPALA, UGANDA: The Ministry of Education has suspended all school visitation days and leavers parties with immediate effect until the conclusion of the current school term to help curb the spread of Ebola Virus Disease.
According to a circular dated October, 28, the Education Ministry said the outbreak of the Ebola virus disease poses a great danger if its spread is not controlled and therefore, there is a need to control the concentration of persons with immediate effect.
“As you are aware, the country is experiencing an outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD). This is a very serious disease that poses grave danger to us all if its spread is not effectively controlled. Institutions of learning are of particular concern because of the concentration of persons,” reads in part the circular.
The ministry explained that given that some positive cases have now been confirmed among learners from families from unknown contacts, it is necessary to strengthen the existing infection prevention measures at school level.
“On the advice of the Ministry of Health and the national taskforce, institutions of learning have remained open. However, as per our earlier circular, the management of all learning institutions is required to take extra care to ensure effective infection prevention and control by strictly observing and implementing the standard operating procedures provided by the Ministry of Health.”
The education ministry called upon the public to observe the heightened vigilance and effective implementation of the standard operating procedures to control the spread of the outbreak and save lives.
“It is vital to reinforce the current infection prevention efforts at the school level given that several positive cases have now been verified among students from families of unknown contacts,” it said.
The development comes days after six students from three schools in Kampala tested positive for Ebola, according to the health minister, Jane Ruth Aceng, signalling a significant escalation of the disease.
Statistics from the Ministry of Health indicate that the cumulative number of people infected with Ebola is now at 95 and 15 of these are in the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area.
Despite calls from the Uganda Medical Association president, Dr. Samuel Oledo to institute a lockdown as one of the measures to control the spread of the Ebola virus in Kampala, the ministry has ruled out the lockdown but urged members of the public to follow standard operating procedures put in place.
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