Authorities in Kanungu district have closed Uganda’s border with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) over the Ebola outbreak.
The Kanungu Resident District Commissioner Ambrose Amanyire Mwesigye has announced the closure of the official border posts with the (DRC) following an outbreak of the Bundibugyo Ebola strain in the neighboring country as a measure to control the spread of the disease in the district.
Mwesigye, who doubles as the district Ebola task force chairman on Monday said that mechanisms have been put in place to closely monitor the interaction of community members in the porous border points to avoid the spread of the ebola disease.
“We have closed the Ishasha and Kyeshero border posts with the Democratic Republic of Congo because of the Ebola outbreak in the eastern part of that Country. While cross border trade and interactions are important, good health for the people is more important,” Mr Mwesigye said.
The Kisoro resident district Commissioner Hajji Badru Sebyala said that he will convene the district Ebola task force committee meeting to assess the situational threats before considering to stop interactions with the Congolese nationals at the Busanza-Kitagoma and Bunagana border posts as a measure to protect Ugandans in his district from contracting the deadly Ebola disease.
“We shall hold a district Ebola task force committee meeting to discuss how we can protect our people from contracting the Ebola disease. I have briefed people attending the morning prayers at Kisoro main Mosque on how ebola disease is spread and later in the day I will address the traders at Kisoro main market on the same matter,” Hajji Ssebyala said.
The Kisoro district health officer Dr Bosco Muhangi said that they have issued message alerts through their social media platforms on health matters informing village health teams among other stakeholders living in the border communities to be vigilant in controlling the spread of the Ebola disease in their communities.
The Mayor for Mupaka town council in Kisoro district which is located at the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo Mr Emmanuel Ndekezi advised Ugandans that usually cross into the Democratic Republic of Congo to attend to their crop gardens to be careful to avoid contracting the disease.
“I have been told that M23 leadership that is in charge of some border communities next to Kisoro district in Uganda have closed the official border post at Kitagoma-Busanza as a measure to control the spread of the Ebola disease. I appeal to our people that use the porous border points to cross into the Democratic Republic of Congo to attend to their crop gardens to be extra careful to avoid contracting the deadly disease,” Mr Ndekezi said.
Following the Ebola disease outbreak, the government of Uganda has postponed this year’s Martyrs Day celebration, a major annual religious and national event held on June 3 in honor Ugandan martyrs that were killed because of their strong belief in Christianity.
By Robert Muhereza
