By A, KNA
Teso North Member of Parliament (MP) Oku Kaunya has urged the residents living along the border towns in Busia to be extra cautious following the WHO advisory alert on Ebola outbreak in DRC just few months after M-pox which has wreaked havoc to hundreds of the residents in the country.
The MP called on the Ministry of Health and Busia County government to put in place adequate measures which include screening and isolation centers at Busia and Malaba OSBP as a precaution measure owing to the fact that the two entry points receives over 5000 passengers daily.
According to the legislator, September 1, 2025 WHO received an alert from the Ministry of Health of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) regarding suspected cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in the Bulape Health Zone, Kasai Province, DRC.
“The first known index case was a pregnant woman who presented at Bulape General Reference Hospital on 20 August 2025 with symptoms of high fever, bloody diarrhea, hemorrhage and extreme weakness. She died on 25 August from multiple organ failure,” stated WHO.
On September 4, 2025, following confirmatory laboratory testing, the Ministry of Health declared an outbreak of EVD.
Ebola virus disease is a serious, often fatal illness in humans. The virus is transmitted to humans through close contact with the blood or secretions of infected wildlife and then spreads through human-to-human transmission.
As of 4 September 2025, 28 suspected cases, including 15 deaths (case fatality ratio (CFR): 54%), have been reported from three areas of the Bulape health zone (Bulape, Bulape Com and Dikolo) and Mweka health zone. Among the deaths, four are health-care workers.
MP Kaunya implores the ministry of health and the county government of Busia to setup safety measures similar to Covid 19 at the Busia and Malaba OSBP as safety-precautionary measures.
“The Ministry of Health, with support from WHO and partners like County government of Busia, must implement public health response measures to contain the outbreak owing to the fact that we are at the border and we receive visitors from DRC on daily basis,” said Kaunya.
His sentiment comes a few days after the ministry of Health launched M-Pox vaccination program at in Busia targeting 3000 people who are at high risk of contracting the disease who include truck drivers, commercial sex workers and cross-border traders.
