Ministry of Health officials in protective gear meant to combat disease outbreak. The government is on high alert following reported deaths related to the Marburg virus in Bukoba, Tanzania.
The medical community deployed to be the first line of defence in the battle against Marburg virus disease in Rwanda is paying the price, taking the bullet for the public against the deadly illness.
Rwanda announced the outbreak of the viral disease last week. By Wednesday, some 11 people had died from the disease, raising the death toll to almost twice the number in a week.
Several doctors and nurses from King Faisal Hospital, and the University Teaching Hospital of Kigali (CHUK), the largest medical facilities in Rwanda, have already succumbed to the disease.
The government and hospitals in general said they are implementing safety measures, for instance carrying out tests for everyone going into hospitals for signs of the virus including high body temperatures, after which those found to have symptoms are subjected to more screening. In fact, Rwanda already banned hospital visits to patients as soon as the outbreak came about, the first step to limit the spread of the virus.
However, it has become harder to protect health service providers since they are the ones that interface with Marburg patients, hence more reports of doctors showing symptoms of the disease, where some have ended up dying.
The death toll rose as 7 new cases were also reported, bringing the total number to 37, 27 of them remain in isolation and on treatment, according to the Ministry of Health. A majority of these are doctors and nurses in different hospitals.
The Ministry of Health said more than 80 percent of those infected are healthcare service providers. One of the first doctors to succumb to the virus was Dr Uzamukunda Claudine, a consultant anesthesiologist, who worked at CHUK, and at King Faisal Hospital.
In a tribute to her, CHUK described her as a highly dedicated physician, saying her passing is a big loss for the country, her family, and CHUK hospital.
Uwase Sonia, who knew Dr Uzamukunda, described her as “a person with the most humility, kindness, and an intelligent Doctor”
She was laid to rest on September 28, at Rusororo Public Seminary, leaving behind children and a husband.
The deaths of doctors and nurses have left many healthcare providers and their families worried for the worst, despite measures in place to minimise Marburg infections among healthcare providers.
“It is a difficult time, you can’t downplay the worrying situation that many healthcare service providers are working in, but there is nothing else to do, we have to wake up and go try to save lives even when ours are in danger, that’s what we signed up for,” said Dr Igiramaboko Jean Regis.
He said, the government and hospitals are doing their best to ensure that doctors and nurses wear medically approved protective gear, and gloves to limit infections.
“All we can do is wear available protective equipment, and doctors are doing what they can to protect themselves”
The Minister of State for Health, Dr Yvan Butera, said they are currently “monitoring 410 contacts and aiming to break transmission chains”
Adding that “five patients have now tested negative, pending further clinical and lab workouts”
And that the Ministry is “about to start vaccine and therapeutic clinical trials to protect high-risk groups”
The seven cases are the highest number of cases reported in 24 hours, and these were mainly discovered in health workers in different hospitals in the country, particularly those working in intensive care units.
The Ministry of Education announced that it had temporarily suspended monthly visits to students in boarding schools as part of measures to prevent the spread of the deadly Marburg virus to students and teachers.
Dr Sabin Nsanzimana, the Minister for Health, said measures put in place to control the spread of the Marburg virus, including tracing contacts, are paying off, which explains the growth in the number of cases identified.
“The numbers may even increase due to the fact that these people can still be traced. We are now at a point where we’re zeroing in on all contacts, which is easy since we know that it started in health facilities as we explained.
We are confident that in the coming days, we will have contained it, and then we will overcome it,” Nsanzimana said.
“It’s something that will require everyone’s cooperation and all institutions working together” he added.
The fact that the Marburg Virus has concentrated mostly among healthcare providers, has started limiting many people suffering from different illnesses from going to hospitals out of fear of contracting the virus, which also poses a danger to people’s health.
