SD CAN’T DETECT EBOLA

MBABANE – Measures to stop Ebola from coming into the country are not sufficient, it has been established.

The Times Investigations Desk can exclusively reveal that Swaziland has only three devices which are used to detect people with extremely high temperatures when crossing into the country. 

These devices have been placed at Ngwenya Border gate, Matsapha International Airport and the King Mswati III International Airport.
Out of 12 border gates in Swaziland, Ngwenya is the only entry point with the temperature testing device. This effectively means that a person diagnosed with the deadly Ebola virus can cross into the country and will be undetected in 11 border gates and posts.

This publication has also established that over 10 informal crossing points (ticanco) found along the borderline, do not have devices or a health worker in place to monitor people who make use of these entry/exit points on a daily basis. In fact, soldiers claim that there has been no order to close down these informal crossings.

While most countries have equipped themselves with thermal scanners to quell the spread of the infectious disease, Swaziland is using temperature scanners that were purchased five years ago during the outbreak of Swine Flu (H1N1 influenza). 
Airports in South Africa and other countries in Africa have thermal scanners and medical personnel on standby to check passengers who may exhibit symptoms of the virus.

Acting Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Health Dr Vusi Magagula yesterday confirmed that, for now, there are only three temperature devices that government relies solely on to test potential Ebola carriers. This, he said, was due to the fact that there is a queue to the supplier at which government placed an order for the Ebola testing devices.

“We are hoping to soon receive the testing device because when we checked last week, Swaziland was number two in the queue,” Magagula said.
He said government had ordered at least eight more temperature scanners. These scanners will be placed in the eight busiest border gates.

“People must know that the temperature scanners cannot detect the Ebola virus. However, they help the officers at the border to tell whenever a person entering into country has a high temperature which is one symptom of the virus. Swaziland does not have Ebola testing device except for the temperature scanners,” he said.

This publication has learnt that people who fly into the country, upon arrival at the airport, are asked to fill in a form with questions relating to their health. Most countries have introduced a new Ebola kit that can detect the virus in 15 minutes, however, this is not the case with Swaziland.

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