Fighting Ebola: Kenya set to send 315 health workers to West Africa

The gravity of the devastation caused by the deadly Ebola virus has once again come in to focus just days after the World Health Organization WHO expressed fears that the hemorrhagic disease could kill more than 10,000 people weekly if not arrested in time

Aware of the threat posed by Ebola, health ministries of the five East African Community member states have resolved to send health experts to West Africa to help in containing the disease. A regional meeting held in Arusha Tanzania agreed that member countries will contribute a total of 41 medical doctors and 578 other healthcare workers to be dispatched to West Africa

Kenya and Uganda will contribute more health workers and doctors than the other East African countries. Kenya’s ministry of health has already advertised vacancies for medical officers, nurses and clinical officers to be deployed to West Africa to assist in the control and management of Ebola under a human resource  support management program

Health workers interested in the jobs are required to submit their applications by Friday next week

The meeting in Arusha also mandated the Eaast African Secretariat to mobilize at least Sh 66 million from the regional reserve fund to to support the fight against Ebola in West Africa

This initiative comes only a day after Kenya medical practitioners and dentists union (KMPDU) raise the alarm over the capacity of Kenyan health workers to combat the Ebola disease in case of an outbreak.

Related story: You will be on your own if Ebola strikes Kenya- Warns Kenyan Doctors

The world Health Organization has declared the Ebola virus a global public health emergency , saying the disease could kill up to 10,000 people daily if its not contained.