Leaders from Kenya and Uganda have joined hands in containing the spread of Ebola along the border.
Speaking during the celebrations to mark the 63rd Madaraka Day celebrations at Kopiya Comprehensive School on Monday, officials from both countries urged residents living along the border to remain vigilant and observe preventive measures.
Busia Governor Dr. Paul Otuoma said that authorities from the county are closely monitoring the situation and have engaged health officials from Uganda to provide updates on the Ebola situation in the region.
“We have deployed a team to assess the situation and identify isolation centers should Ebola cases be detected in Kenya,” he said, adding that his administration was working closely with security agencies to prevent the disease from entering the country.
His deputy, Arthur Odera, urged residents to adhere to preventive measures, including regular hand washing and avoiding unnecessary physical contact.
“We are reaching out to Uganda to ensure that the disease does not reach Kenya. There is a need to observe contingency measures, including the use of sanitizers and maintaining good hygiene practices,” he said.
Busia County Commissioner (CC) Stephen Orinde said that officials from the two countries met last week in Busia, Kenya, to lay strategies on how to evade the killer disease along the shared border.
“If Uganda intensifies measures and Kenya does not, and vice versa, it will amount to nothing,” he said.
Orinde added that Busia and Malaba remain highly active border points, making cross-border collaboration essential in disease surveillance and response.
At the same time, the CC urged the residents not to ignore public health advisories and apply lessons learned from the Covid-19 pandemic.
Busia, Uganda Assistant Resident District Commissioner Jackline Masiga said that Ugandan authorities have put in place elaborate contingency measures aimed at preventing and containing any potential Ebola outbreak.
By Salome Alwanda
