Tanzania is free of ‘Ebola’ disease prevalence, says ministry official

THE Government has declaled that, the country is safer from any possible contamination of the ‘Ebola’ pandemic disease which had threatened lives of the entire population following its widespread infection in West African countries whereby the epidemic claimed lives of thousands of people seven months ago. The assurance was issued yesterday in Dar es Salaam by an officer with the Ministry of Health and Social Services Dr. Vida Mmbaga in an exclusive interview at the occasion of handing over of the equipment for Ebola and pandemic influenza preparedness which was held at the ministry’s headquarter. The equipments which are personal protective worth $46,070 (equivalent to Sh. 83.6 million) have been donated by the World Health Organisation (WHO) through its representative accredited in the country Dr. Rufaro Chatora in support of the strategic plans currently being undertaken by the government to control any possible prevalence of the deadly Ebola disease in the country. 

Minister for Health and Social Services Dr. Seif Seleman Rashid shakes hands with the WHO representative in Tanzania  Dr. Rufaro Chatora, after the latter had donated Ebola equipment worth Sh. 83.6 million.
 

These includes gumboots, heavy duty gloves, aprons, protective goggles, sprayers and cadaver bags worth in total Sh. 29.7 million. Others are one laboratory incubator worth Sh. 1.5 million, IT equipment for PIP preparedness including 10 computers, 10 UPS machines and 12 printers worth Sh. 52.3 million.  Dr. Mmbaga who is in charge of the disease control in the country has assured citizens to walk freely across the borders as the government has put in place strategic measures for protection at its border posts, a move that has been jointly coordinated by the five East African countries to curb the prevalence of the pandemic. “Up to now Tanzania has yet recorded a single patient as we have put in place an intensive care and close follow up since the disease broke out in West African countries”, she said adding that, whoever feels to have overcome any signs of the disease is required to report urgently. Earlier, the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary Dr. Donan Mbando told press Conference after the handing of the medical equipment that, medical scientists have not yet discovered the medicine which directly cures the deadly Ebola disease. He noted that, this is a global crisis as the disease has neither special vaccine nor inoculation for the infected people as part of the cure and that is why larger death tolls occurred in some West African countries. However, he said that it is estimated that about 23,000 people have lost their lives He then noted that, in a bid to control the disease prevalence the government has put in put up the State-of-the-art laboratories in various towns and cities in the country with enough expertise in order to fight the scourge, and are closely monitoring an possible attack. He is of the view of the fact that, people should take precautions at this time when the government has intensified tight security and close monitoring of the disease across the country as the infections are spreading more quickly.