Ebola: Doctors want Kampala to go into lockdown

The Uganda Medical Association President, Dr. Samuel Oledo has recommended that stringent measures including a lockdown be considered for Kampala.

This comes when Ebola cases in greater Kampala have risen to 15 in the last 48 hours. Currently, Uganda has 90 cumulative cases with 28 active cases on admission and 28 lives lost. Meanwhile, the districts of Mubende and Kassanda are in a 21-day lockdown.

Speaking on the KFM Hotseat show on Monday night, Dr. Oledo expressed fear that the government is sitting on a time bomb warning that the worst is yet to come if nothing is done in the shortest time possible to contain the spread of the viral disease.

Dr. Oledo cautions that Ebola is not a political disease, urging Ugandans to take extra vigilance, explaining that 5 out of 10 people who get Ebola die.

“Kampala should have restriction of movement, let us hold Kampala when it is still early. The earlier we lockdown Kampala the better. Ugandans are still taking it as something so minor. It is catastrophic that right now, people are not even reporting cases,” Oledo said.

He has however commended the government for treating health workers who have contracted Ebola.

At least eight health workers have contracted the viral disease, but two have died. According to Dr. Oledo, antiviral therapeutics for the treatment of Ebola is expensive, revealing that a single vial goes for about Shs240,000.

Written by Ritah Kemigisa