Nairobi County trains personnel on Ebola management

Nairobi County, in collaboration with the ministry of Health, has trained about 35 security personnel on how to screen and manage suspected Ebola cases if an outbreak occurs.

The trainees were drawn from the National Disaster Management Unit, the Kenya Police Service and the Administration Police.

The training was conducted from October 21 to October 25 in Nairobi.

In the group were officers from the Criminal Investigations Department, General Service Unit as well as officers who are nurses or doctors in the force.

They were taught how to put on the protective equipment such as aprons, gloves, facemasks, special overalls and gumboots.

They also had a chance to go to JKIA to see how the ongoing screening of travellers is conducted.

COULD BECOME TRANSMITTERS

One of the facilitators, Dr Judy Gichuki, emphasised that if health workers do not take precaution when handling an Ebola case, there was a high likelihood they could become transmitters.

Said Dr Gichuki: “This training is important for those likely to get into contact with Ebola cases. They will also ensure in the event of an Ebola case, they will help mitigate its spreading.”

Deputy Director Superintendent of Police Pius Mwachi said the trained officers would then train other security personnel as well as inform Kenyans about Ebola.

The World Health Organisation has placed Kenya among countries at high-risk of Ebola.

However, to date no case of Ebola has been reported in the country.

The disease has killed an estimated 5,000 people in West Africa, according to WHO.

The county government has put in place other measures to keep Ebola at bay.

The Nairobi county chief officer for health services Dr Robert Ayisi said a ward has been set aside at Mbagathi Hospital in the event of an Ebola case.

The county has also disbursed Sh4.8 million for distribution of protective materials in major hospitals for Ebola cases.