Zambia threatens to recall Dr Kasolo from WHO after his Ebola remarks

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Zambia threatens to recall Dr Kasolo from WHO after his Ebola remarks

Time Posted: July 15, 2014 10:46 am

Zambia has threatened to withdraw the secondment of Dr Anthony Kasolo at the World Health Organisation Africa Office after he issued a statement questioning Zambia preparedness for an Ebola attack.

During a public discussion organised by the Post Freedom Committee of the Post Newspapers over the weekend, Dr Kasolo stated that Zambia was not ready to face a possible outbreak of the killer Ebola disease.

?We are not yet there to say we can touch our hearts and say we are ready to handle the Ebola virus, unless there is something being done that I am not aware of. Otherwise I am convinced that in our current status, we cannot handle the disease, that is my personal views,? Dr Kasolo stated.

But Health Minister Dr Joseph Kasonde said Dr Kasolo?s statement could warrant his recall from the WHO regional office in the Congo Brazzaville as it does not reflect the correct state of affairs.

Dr Kasolo who is the Director for Disease Prevention and Control Cluster has been working with the WHO Africa Office since 2004.
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http://www.lusakatimes.com/2014/07/15/zambia-threatens-recall-dr-kasolo-ebola-remarks/
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Dr Kasolo?s Ebola remark gets backing from Dr. Canisius Banda

Time Posted: July 16, 2014 7:36 am

Public Health Expert Dr. Canisius Banda has advised the Zambian Government not to quickly dismiss remarks infectious disease expert Francis Kasolo that Zambia is not ready to handle a possible Ebola outbreak.
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He said Dr. Kasolo is an expert who the Zambian government should engage instead of threatening to revoke his secondment at WHO Africa Office for disclosing that Zambia has no capacity to contain an Ebola outbreak.

?We should listen to him. Dr Kasolo is a skilled and qualified Zambian, we should not be too quick to rubbish his statement. The truth is that we are Ebola preparedly na?ve as a nation Dr Banda said.

http://www.lusakatimes.com/2014/07/16/dr-kasolos-ebola-remark-gets-backing-dr-canisius-banda/

 

[Pathfinder]

Re: Zambia threatens to recall Dr Kasolo from WHO after his Ebola remarks

Is Zambia ready for deadly Ebola?

Written by Online Editor
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On whether Zambia is prepared to handle the fatal disease or not, Dr Kasolo does not mince his words and categorically states that the country is not ready to face a possible outbreak of the killer disease-Ebola- while the Ministry of Health strongly dismisses his contention explaining Zambia?s preparedness to tackle the lethal viral disease.

Dr Kasolo adds that Zambia needs to double her efforts in preparedness for diseases such as Ebola.

Ebola has a fatality rate of 90 percent and is incurable.

Dr Kasolo, who is a specialist in virology, said recently during a discussion in Lusaka that Zambia needs to prepare for a possible eventuality although it should take proactive measures.

?We are not yet there to say we can touch our hearts and say we are ready to handle the Ebola virus, unless there is something being done that I am not aware of. Otherwise, I am convinced that in our current status, we cannot handle this disease, that is my personal view,? Dr Kasolo said.
He said there is need for Zambia to have laboratories in which the Ebola virus can be screened and tested.

Dr Kasolo said the Immigration Department must start enquiring about the origin of visitors to Zambia by asking basic questions about where they are coming from.

He said the Zambia Wildlife Authority also needs to further critically investigate the deaths of some animals such as monkeys where the virus is believed to come from.

Dr Kasolo underscored the need for Government to urgently invest in the establishment of a robust and strong health surveillance system at all ports of entry to detect whether tourists and local people entering or leaving the country have symptoms of the virus or not.

He said this will put the country in a better position to effectively deal with the irredeemable disease.

?We need to set up a surveillance system to detect any possible outbreak of the disease, and these systems must be in installed in both hospitals and communities,? Dr Kasolo said.

Dr Kasolo urged government to embark on massive sensitisation of the Ebola virus in communities.

?The government must also start thinking of setting up necessary infrastructure that would accommodate Ebola patients and the infrastructure must be set up in communities and not at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) or other big hospitals, because seriously speaking, we need to start redoubling our efforts in fighting Ebola should it break out in Zambia,? he said.

But government is ?disappointed? with Dr Kasolo?s argument that the country is not adequately prepared to handle the deadly virus.
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Last modified on Friday, 18 July 2014 00:09


Full text:
http://www.daily-mail.co.zm/index.php/features/item/6373-is-zambia-ready-for-deadly-ebola