Lucky
Stakeholders in Kabarole District have been urged to remain vigilant and continue promoting Ebola prevention measures despite Uganda being declared free of the disease.
The call was made during an Ebola preparedness and prevention stakeholders’ meeting organized by SOS Children’s Villages today, which brought together Village Health Teams (VHTs), local leaders, health workers, and other stakeholders to strengthen community surveillance and disease prevention.
Speaking at the meeting, the Kabarole District Health Officer, Dr. Stephen Kalyegira Stephen Kalyegira challenged Village Health Teams to go beyond Ebola awareness by addressing other public health concerns affecting communities.
He urged VHTs to encourage households to construct and use pit latrines, promote proper sanitation and hygiene, monitor childhood immunization, and educate communities on the prevention of other communicable diseases.
Dr. Kalyegira emphasized that VHTs play a critical role in early disease detection, health education, and linking communities to health facilities.
The Secretary for Health and Councillor representing Mugusu Town Council and Mugusu Sub-county in the Kabarole District Local Government, Roses Kyakyo commended the District Health Department and the District Security Committee for their coordinated efforts in preventing and responding to Ebola, which helped keep Kabarole safe during the national response.
She noted that Ebola is a preventable disease and urged residents not to become complacent simply because Uganda has been declared Ebola-free. Instead, she encouraged the public to continue observing preventive measures, including maintaining good hygiene, reporting suspected cases early, and avoiding unnecessary contact with suspected infections.
Kyakyo also appealed to stakeholders, community leaders, and Village Health Teams to continue spreading accurate information about Ebola prevention in their communities, saying sustained public awareness is essential to preventing future outbreaks.
Participants at the meeting were reminded that maintaining strong community surveillance, promoting sanitation and hygiene, and ensuring timely reporting of suspected cases remain key pillars in protecting communities from Ebola and other infectious diseases.