Santa Cruz tests health system with Ebola emergency drill

Santa Cruz's health system underwent a rigorous test this Friday with an epidemiological emergency simulation at Viru Viru International Airport. The drill, designed to assess the region's readiness for a potential Ebola outbreak, involved coordinated efforts between the Departmental Health Service (Sedes), the Ministry of Health, and airport authorities.

Boris Chang, head of the Expanded Immunization Program at Sedes, explained that the simulation's primary goal was to measure the operational capacity of all involved institutions. By identifying weaknesses, authorities aim to implement improvements for a swift and effective response to any future epidemiological contingency.

The exercise meticulously recreated the entire response chain. This included the initial detection and care of a symptomatic individual at the airport, their subsequent transfer, and final hospital treatment. Crucially, the simulation also evaluated the coordination between different healthcare levels and the agencies responsible for managing such emergencies. The capacity of laboratories to confirm or rule out diseases promptly was also a key focus, an area reportedly strengthened since the COVID-19 pandemic.