Tanzania invests more in screening for Ebola
Monday July 22 2019
Travellers from the Democratic Republic of Congo getting into Uganda are screened for Ebola virus at the DRC–Uganda border post of Bunagana on March 8, 2019. Tanzania has bought more thermal scanners to enhance its preparedness for detecting and managing imported cases of Ebola. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
Dar es Salaam
Tanzania has enhanced its preparedness for detecting and managing imported cases of Ebola.
Dr Leonard Subi, the director of preventive services at the Ministry of Health, said the country has acquired nine walk-through thermal scanners that will be installed at Songwe, Mwanza and Kilimanjaro airports as well as other border posts.
“On Thursday we installed two at the Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA) terminal three…we will soon do the same at the other airports,” he said.
The government has now acquired a total of 115 walk-through thermal scanners and hand-held scanners.
“We are committed to strengthening screening of passengers without harassing them as required by International Health Regulations of 2005,” Dr Subi added.
He spoke to The Citizen shortly after a video conference with officials from the Health ministry, World Health Organisation (WHO) and Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA).
TCAA economic regulation director Daniel Malanga said the aviation industry has provided personnel with protective gear, and it has an emergency preparedness plan in place.
Dr Grace Saguti, the WHO representative in Tanzania, called for strengthening of Tanzania’s capacities to prevent, rapidly detect, investigate and respond to Ebola.
“You need to ensure effective coordination, supervision, monitoring and evaluation of the operational readiness and preparedness,” she said. “For this to work national authorities should work with airlines and the transport and tourism industries to ensure that they do not exceed WHO’s advice on international traffic.”