By Lodu William Odiya
Vice president and chairperson for the service cluster, Hussein Abdelbagi Akol, has called on citizens to remain calm and observe preventive precautions following the reported Ebola outbreak in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.
Addressing the press, Abdelbagi said that the disease is highly infectious and can spread through direct contact.
“Given the movement of the people across borders, there is a need for high-level vigilance and public cooperation to prevent the spread of this dangerous disease into our communities. Ebola is highly infectious and can spread through direct contact with infected persons, bodily fluids, and/or contaminated materials,” he explained.
He therefore urged them to remain calm, informed, and alert at all times.
Abdelbagi stated that no case of Ebola has been confirmed so far across South Sudan.
“The public is strongly advised to observe strictly precautionary measures in homes, markets, schools, churches, mosques, public transport, and all crowded places,” he stated.
VP Abdelbagi underscored that everyone should wash hands regularly with soft and clean water or use an alcoholic-based sensitiser, and avoid unnecessary physical contact such as handshakes.
He also cautioned people to immediately report any person showing symptoms such as fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, bleeding, or sudden weakness to the nearest health facility.
“The general public is also encouraged to avoid contact with dead bodies without proper medical guidance and to cooperate fully with the health screening team at the borders, points, airports, and public places,” he added.
The service clusters further urged the states, governors, and chief administrators to alert the local public on precautionary measures against the infection of Ebola.
He added that the government of South Sudan, through the Ministry of Health and its partners, is continuing to strengthen surveillance, preparedness, and response mechanisms across the country.
“Citizens are urged not to spread rumours or misinformation but instead to rely on official communication channels for accurate updates and guidance,” he said.
He emphasised that protecting this nation from Ebola requires collective responsibility and adhering to all preventive measures.
“Together we can safeguard our families, communities, and the future of our country,” VP Abdelbagi stated.
Meanwhile, Dr. Oromo Francis, the undersecretary in the National Ministry of Health, underscored that when the declaration of Ebola was made last week, their team had activated emergency preparedness and response, including all the pillars that are involved in the response.
“As we speak now, we are prepared. Everything is activated, one by one, and we are just waiting to implement what is going to happen. So we are ready for that,” he said.
According to Dr. Oromo, the health ministry has the pillars, which include surveillance and contact tracing, which are already activated.
“We have the IPC, the lab, and the rest are also in place. The infrastructure, which includes the isolation centers, is also in place. Although we have a few challenges, these can be handled. So we are ready on that side,” he explained.