Border points lack Ebola test kits - VIDEO

Health Cabinet Secretary James Macharia (centre). Mr Macharia had claimed that screening had been stepped up at Busia, Malaba and Namanga entry points after the ban on three West African countries came into force Wednesday. PHOTO | BILLY MUTAI |

What you need to know:

  • Travellers from Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea, which are battling an unprecedented outbreak of the deadly virus, have been excluded in an attempt to keep the virus out.
  • In Busia, public health officials said they did not have equipment for physical screening of travellers. They are merely recording details of those coming in, they said.
  • In Nairobi, Mr Macharia claimed all was well at border towns and that his ministry was prepared to handle an Ebola outbreak.

Public health officials at border points Wednesday said they did not have the equipment to screen travellers for Ebola, contradicting assurances by the Health Cabinet Secretary that checks had been stepped up.

Mr James Macharia had claimed that screening had been stepped up at Busia, Malaba and Namanga entry points after the ban on three West African countries came into force Wednesday.

Travellers from Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea, which are battling an unprecedented outbreak of the deadly virus, have been excluded in an attempt to keep the virus out.

There were no masks or gloves at the port clinic at Namanga when the Nation visited Wednesday.

On the Tanzanian side of the border, properly equipped and briefed medical staff were screening visitors from Kenya.

“We are only relying on our clinic here but we have been informed that equipment for personal protection will be delivered to enhance handling of any cases of Ebola,” said Mr James Njuguna, a health officer at the port clinic.

In contrast, Mr Gabriel Mudachi, who is in charge of the Tanzanian port clinic said they had equipment to screen visitors.

“We received this equipment from Dar es Salaam and we check people coming from Kenya for signs of Ebola,” he said. All matatus from Kenya are required to provide information on passengers for scrutiny.

Mr Njuguna said he was confident that no Ebola cases had passed through Namanga, though more people might opt to travel by road after the cancellation of flights.

NO QUARANTINE FACILITY

The Chief Immigration Officer at Namanga, Mr Joseph Chepkwony, said: “We know passengers might opt to fly to Tanzania then come into Kenya by road but we have tightened our scrutiny mechanisms to weed out such cases.” By Wednesday, authorities in Namanga had not set up quarantine facilities, noting that it was “work in progress”.

In Busia, public health officials said they did not have equipment for physical screening of travellers. They are merely recording details of those coming in, they said.

County Public Health Officer Ambrose Fwamba said they had prepared a questionnaire with eight questions which visitors arriving into the country are required to fill together with details of the person they are visiting in Kenya.

“In the questionnaire, the traveller is required to state whether he or she has any symptoms, including high fever, muscular pains, severe headaches and their country of origin to confirm whether they could have come into contact with Ebola victims,” he said.

Visitors are required to leave details of the persons or institutions being visited as well as their telephone numbers to facilitate monitoring.

PREPARED TO HANDLE OUTBREAK

He said his team had come up with a Sh2.6 million budget for Ebola screening. This includes Sh732,000 for community mobilisation, Sh50,000 (specimen shipment), Sh225,000 (fuel for transport) and Sh1.6 million for a process he only identified as DSA.

In Nairobi, Mr Macharia claimed all was well at border towns and that his ministry was prepared to handle an Ebola outbreak.

“We are not focusing on airlines only but any entry points such as border towns like Busia and Malaba. We have escalated the screening and surveillance to these towns and many other possible entry points.”

The ban of flights from the affected countries, which took effect on Tuesday midnight, was taken as a preventive measure against the spread of Ebola.

Mr Macharia said about Sh671 million had been set aside to tackle an Ebola epidemic if the need arose.

The funds would be used for screening of travellers, setting up of an Ebola taskforce, acquisition of personal protective equipment and establishment of a national contingency plan among other measures.

He added: “We had sent two doctors to Monrovia (Liberia) and Freetown (Sierra Leone) to inform us on Ebola. They were expected back on Tuesday but we extended their stay by a day so that they visit Nigeria for better analysis of the disease.”