Tanzania intensifies Ebola preparedness as DRC outbreak raises regional concern

DAR ES SALAAM, May 17 (Xinhua)--Tanzania has stepped up surveillance, border screening and emergency preparedness measures following an Ebola outbreak in the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), a senior health official said on Sunday.

Director of Emergency Preparedness and Response at the Ministry of Health, Erasto Sylvanus, said the government is working closely with the World Health Organization (WHO) and neighboring countries to strengthen prevention, early detection and rapid response mechanisms against any possible importation of the disease.

"In collaboration with the WHO country office, Tanzania has conducted a rapid assessment of proximity and interaction with outbreak areas in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda to identify regions at highest risk and take appropriate measures in accordance with the International Health Regulations," Sylvanus told Xinhua in an exclusive interview.

He said surveillance and health screening of travelers have been strengthened at border points linking Tanzania with the DRC and Uganda. At the same time, the monitoring of rumors and suspected cases in communities and health facilities has also been intensified nationwide.

According to Sylvanus, the government has updated and disseminated technical guidelines to regional authorities to enhance preparedness, prevention, and response capacity.

He added that expert teams at the national level have been deployed to high-risk regions, with additional teams on standby in response to emerging needs.

Sylvanus said all health facilities across the country have been placed on high alert and have prepared isolation rooms to safely manage suspected Ebola patients while minimizing the risk of transmission.

He noted that assessments were continuing to strengthen the availability of essential medical supplies, especially personal protective equipment (PPE) for frontline healthcare workers.

"The National Public Health Laboratory has the capacity to test and confirm Ebola virus within 24 hours," he said, adding that a mobile laboratory had already been pre-positioned in the northwestern Kagera Region to facilitate rapid testing of suspected cases. Enditem