Rwanda National Police

Rwanda Police and Defence Forces (RDF) together with the Ministries of Health and Disaster Management and Refugee Affairs conducted an 'Integration Ebola Simulation' exercise to test Rwanda's readiness and preparedness in responding to any Ebola case that might break out in the country.

The successful drill was conducted on November 22, to test Rwanda’s capabilities against the virus that has scourged West African countries including Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

It was performed at the end of a week-long training exercise that sought to equip personnel with relevant skills and knowledge about disaster management and disease control that respect guidelines by the World Health Organisation.

Seven teams; two from RNP and five from RDF, participated in this training.

Agnes Binagwaho, the Minister for Health, said the aim of the simulation exercise was to highlight national Ebola Preparedness with a realistic demonstration of capabilities that have been put in place.

“This exercise was conducted to evaluate everything we have done in the last five months together with all our partners. We want to address our security needs and it is our job to assure the public that the teams we have put in place can ensure maximum security in case of an Ebola scenario or any future disease outbreak,” Binagwaho said.

“As you know, in West Africa, 10 percent of the people who die of Ebola are health professionals; and that is without counting the security personnel. That means it is very important for us to test our preparedness and safety measures for our Ebola response teams.”

General Patrick Nyanvumba, the Chief of Defense Staff, commended the drill as a valuable action in determining Rwanda’s way forward against disease control.

“The teams are available at short notice for deployment in support of national preparedness plans and for foreign support whenever required,” Gen. Nyamvumba said.

The exercise is a culmination of a one week intensive training on Ebola identification and screening, management, contamination and safe burial practices. Our expectation is to provide rapid response, creation of long term capacity within RDF and RNP.”

“Seven Ebola response teams were created; two of them will be managed by Police while the other five will be managed by RDF. They include rapid reaction personnel including a medical officer, a clinical officer, two nurses, a lab technicians, a psychologist, a social worker, five environmental health officers, two drivers, a security staff and one storekeeper,” Police Spokesman, Chief Superintendent Celestin Twahirwa, said.

“This successful drill indicates that Rwanda is ready to provide maximum security to its people. the teams that were formed will also provide training for RNP and RDF in order to create long-term capacity for sustained sensitization and mobilization.”