‘Ban travellers from Ebola hit countries’

Health workers in the country have asked government to close its borders to people coming from countries that have been hit by the current Ebola outbreak.

Since the outbreak hit West African nations of Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea and Nigeria, and now DRC, countries such as South Africa, Ethiopia and Kenya have imposed a travel ban to and from the countries that are battling with the disease.

Speaking in an interview last week, Human Resource for Health chairperson Abraham Gama said Malawi is not prepared to handle Ebola in the event that the virus hits the country.

“We have no personal protective equipment which is very key in the handling of such diseases as Ebola that spread through contact. Again, we haven’t heard if the Ministry of Health has made any contacts with the company manufacturing the Ebola drug Zmapp,” said Gama.

He said lack of protective gear can lead to the collapse of the whole health system in the face of an Ebola outbreak.

“Health workers are very susceptible if the deadly disease comes to Malawi as, obviously, they will be in direct contact with the sick,” he said.

Ministry of Health spokesperson Henry Chimbali said, while some personal protective equipment is already in the country, some partners have pledged to donate more as a way of keeping Malawi alert on Ebola.

“By August 26 we had received more than 200 personal protective wear with many more donations of the same coming in through our partners. There is also an arrangement with DHL for emergency transportation of Ebola virus disease suspicious material to Johannesburg, where a Sadc [Southern Africa Development Community] centre for diagnosis of the disease has been set up,” said Chimbali.

According to him, three health officers have gone to Brazzaville for Ebola training sponsored by World Health Organisation (WHO).