Ebola Fight: Enhanced cooperation in port ??security

Thermal cameras to be built in the Port of Douala and its international airport can prevent this disease. Until today, no cases of Ebola virus has been reported in the region of Wouri and Cameroon in general.

According to Dr. Victor kame, emergency physician and coordinator of the regional circle of prevention and fight against epidemics (Crple) in the Littoral region, this is due to the devices developed by the State of Cameroon in partnership with the Department of Public Health.

To benefit from the commitment and dynamism of the men and women responsible for establishing epidemiological changes, monitoring policy is engaged around Littoral, very popular and very exposed area because it is an area of transit.

Devices that detect this disease that creates widespread worldwide phobia were installed in the main access points. This is the Douala International Airport and the Autonomous Port of Douala.

In these two strategic points, two thermal cameras to monitor all who come were installed. The visit to these places September 25, 2014 by the Governor of the Littoral Region and the various members of the regional circle of prevention and fight against epidemics (Crple) in the Littoral region has revealed.

The operation of the thermal camera installed is to detect all passengers with a high temperature close to that of Ebola patients. In fact the process is simple. Different passengers embarking or disembarking, all pass through this mandatory corridor where control is performed.

If a passenger shows suspicious signs, he is immediately ostracized and mobilized for this purpose by the medical team. According to Dr Martin Yamba, Regional Delegate of Public Health for the Littoral Region, member of the regional commission for the fight against epidemics and pandemics in the region, 3150 passengers have already been tested by this heat camera.

There have been suspected cases but after close observation and monitoring this was just false alarms, we learn. Besides this thermal camera, thermometers are equally available to examine the passengers who travel on roads.

According to Customs officials, police and even commuters at the airport of Douala, the same device is not enough, at least reassuring. "We feel at least that the state is doing efforts to ensure that the disease does not come from us. We are happy for what is already done. But we ask for better because the Ebola virus is really dangerous," said Gilles taxi driver at the Douala International Airport.

Prevention

Given the fact that there has not been Ebola in Cameroon, officials in the region have invested in the prevention of the disease. They are banning the consumption of bushmeat, prohibit travel to countries affected by the disease and request for alerts of the health center closest if there is any case of a suspected malaria. Training of health personnel is also on the agenda.