KMPDU demands urgent protection for health workers after Kenya confirms first Ebola case

Jukwaa

📻 Breaking It Down

The union said healthcare workers who may have come into contact with the patient at Nairobi Hospital or other health facilities must be immediately identified, medically monitored and provided with psychological support and appropriate follow-up.

KMPDU Secretary-General and CEO Dr Davji Bhimji Atellah said the confirmed case should prompt the government to strengthen protection of frontline workers, warning that their safety must be treated as a national priority.

“Our healthcare workers must not be the weakest link in our response. They must be our first line of protection,” Atellah said.

📌 What You Need to Know

The union also called for rigorous, timely and transparent contact tracing, urging authorities to provide regular and accurate information to healthcare workers and the public on the progress of the response.

KMPDU said gaps in information could create room for misinformation and undermine efforts to contain the virus.

The government has activated contact tracing and outbreak response measures after Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale confirmed Tuesday that the patient had travelled from the Democratic Republic of Congo through Uganda before arriving in Nairobi.

According to Duale, the patient arrived at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Saturday, October 3, aboard a flight carrying 23 passengers after travelling by road from the DRC through Uganda.

The patient had reportedly lived in the DRC for about seven years and developed illness about a month ago before seeking treatment at several health facilities.

KMPDU said the patient’s movement through multiple points of care underscored the need to immediately establish the extent of potential exposure among healthcare workers and other contacts.

📰 Source: Capital FM Kenya

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