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The Homa Bay county government has set up surveillance centres in islands in Lake Victoria to screen people against Ebola virus.
The move was informed by the outbreak of the disease in Uganda. Fishermen from Homa Bay sometimes venture into Ugandan waters and do their counterparts from the neighbouring country.
On Tuesday, the county health department sent a team of health officers to screen people who use water vessels as a prevention measure.
The islands within Homa Bay county include Mfang’ano, Remba, Kiwa, Rusinga, Ringiti.
The health officials are working in collaboration with beach management unit officials to examine passengers and traders from Uganda.
The county says it is remaining cautious because the disease could easily spread through the free movement of people across the lake.
Health executive Richard Muga said they had enhanced surveillance on the lake.
Speaking to journalists in his office, Muga said they received a notice from the ministry of health to be on high alert.
He was with county director of health Gordon Okomo.
“There is no confirmed case of Ebola in Kenya so far but due to our closeness to Uganda where such cases have been confirmed, we’ve increased our vigilance on the possible outbreak,” Muga said.
“The screening is done on passengers, fishermen, traders, and anyone from Uganda.”
Muga said some officers will be stationed at the Mbita point and in Sindo town where movement to and from Uganda is rampant.
“The Ministry of Health has provided us with personal protective equipment to enable health officials on the ground to suppress the spread of the virus,” Muga said.
Okomo said the equipment would enable health officers to handle suspected cases without putting themselves at risk of contracting the virus.
“The department has engaged health workers at the subcounty levels to enable them detect and report possible cases of Ebola,” Okomo said.
He said they were also involving community health volunteers in the programme.
He said the health volunteers have been sensitised in detecting and reporting cases. “Besides providing hotline numbers for quick alert, we have put in place isolation wards at our heath facilities as a measure of ensuring that the virus does not spread to other people in case of an outbreak,” Okomo said.
edited by peter Obuya
