Uganda is currently in the grip of an Ebola outbreak, which has killed about 25 people, according to the World Health Organisation.
At least 50 have been infected, and this is an underestimate.
Kenya has simply been lucky because, since Ebola’s discovery in 1976, no case has been reported here. It is difficult to estimate how long this luck will last.
Luckily, the social and technical lessons learnt from Covid-19 mean Kenya is better prepared to respond to any outbreak. We have more isolation centres and a better supply of PPE.
The government has mapped 20 high-risk counties that have frequent movements of international travellers. The public has also been advised to avoid unnecessary travel to Uganda.
But there is nothing else beyond these verbal precautions. How many Kenyans know the symptoms of Ebola infection, and what to do if someone has such symptoms?
There are no serious sensitisation campaigns in the 20 counties. We need door-to-door campaigns, especially along the border.
We also need a Nyumba Kumi-style surveillance where residents must report all visitors from Uganda.
Just one case of Ebola would be devastating to the country’s economy and we need to avoid it.
Quote of the Day: “Man is born to live, to suffer, and to die, and what befalls him is a tragic lot. There is no denying this in the final end. But we must deny it all along the way.”
Thomas Wolfe
The American novelist was born on October 3, 1900
