Health workers across the country have been urged to step up surveillance for the Ebola to protect the country against the disease.
This is owing to the substantial traffic between Congo and Kenya, with Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) being an important interconnecting regional hub.
Director of Medical Services (DMS) Dr. Jackson Kioko (pictured) said the surveillance measures employed should enable early detection, notification and appropriate management of any suspected cases at all levels of healthcare in the country, from community to national referral health facilities and at ports of entry.
The DMS has written Council of Governors (COG) Chairman, Josphat Nanok, asking him to bring to attention the Ebola alert and heightened vigilance to all county directors of health, Sub-County medical officers of health, medical superintendents and all those in charge of port health.
This follows an Ebola outbreak reported in the North of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), bordering Central African Republic. Since April, 9 cases including 3 deaths had been reported and six cases hospitalized.
Earlier this month, DRC’s Ministry of health informed World Health Organization (WHO) that of the 5 laboratory samples tested, 1 came out positive for ebola virus.
“It is necessary for all health workers all over the country to step up their surveillance for this disease to protect the country from its introduction,” Kioko said in a circular, dated May 22.
To this end, health teams have been asked to undertake detailed personal, clinical and contact information of all travelers from DRC at all entry points, watch out for any person presenting with acute onset of fever.
Also to look out for is a history of travel or contact with a person from DRC within the last three weeks with vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pains, headache, sore throat, measles-like rash, red eyes or bleeding from body openings.
Should a patient fit this, they must notify the next administrative level immediately in addition to informing the disease surveillance and response unit immediately through hotlines 0729 491414 or 0732 353535.
Similarly, Kioko said patients showing symptoms of ebola must be isolated and restrict the number of personnel or support staff, visiting or caring for the patient going into the isolation rooms.
Staff who have been caring for confirmed cases for the last 21 days after the last contact with the patient, should be followed up.
“Health care workers are advised to watch out for any unusual clustering of any febrile cases or unexplained deaths in the community,” said the DMS.
On the other hand, Kioko said sub-county health management team are expected to strengthen surveillance up to the village level and ensure full case reporting, ensure healthcare worker are conversant with the case definition and are sensitized on the risk of Ebola outbreak in the country as well as reactivate the outbreak management teams and make them ready to respond.
The health management team is also expected to improve laboratory capacity for specimen collection, diagnosis and possible shipment.
