Government releases Shs600 million as Ebola claims more lives
A health official at Kagadi Hospital takes stock of a consignment from the National Medical Stores on Thursday. Photo by Ronald Tumusiime
What you need to know:
Avoiding individualist. To avoid the cash being swindled by senior government officials, the money has been dispatched to the district account, according to a letter seen by this paper.
A day after this newspaper published the logistical outcry of health personnel fighting against the deadly Ebola epidemic; the government on Friday said it had released Shs627 million to facilitate their activities in Kibaale District.
However, the money has come at a time when the district is registering more infections and deaths. By yesterday, the death toll had reached 17 after a patient died at Kagadi Hospital.
Reports also indicate that three people died in the villages of Ngerebwe and Waihembe on Thursday night after they reportedly showed signs of the disease but health workers could not confirm whether the victims succumbed to Ebola hemorrhagic fever or some other sickness.
Burial committee dispatched
“We sent a burial committee to bury them because they had symptoms similar to those of Ebola,” Mr Stephen Mfashingabo, the vice chairperson of the Ebola taskforce, said. However, a number of residents from the two villages have fled to neighbouring parishes.
“We urge the people to be calm. All efforts are being made to contain the outbreak,” Mr Mfashingabo added. Sunday Monitor has seen a letter by the Health Permanent secretary ministry dated August 1, addressed to the Kibaale Chief Administrative Officer, indicating the money has been wired to the district account.
“The funds have already been secured and it has been transferred to our general fund account and they will be managed by my office to avoid fraud and mismanagement,” CAO Emmanuel Ssenoga told this newspaper on Thursday.
Early this week, medical personnel risking their lives in fighting the disease petitioned the President to intervene, claiming that besides lacking allowances, they were also constrained by insufficient medical logistics.
Dr Dan Kyamanywa, the district health officer, said the epidemic is increasing with more suspected patients admitted to Kagadi Hospital. “Things are not moving on well because we are admitting between three to four people on a daily basis. But we think the funds given will help us to hunt for more suspects,” said Dr Kyamanywa.
The National medical Stores delivered two trucks full of medicines, sundries and disinfectants at Kagadi Hospital to help in the fight against the epidemic. Meanwhile, the suspected Ebola patient at Mbarara hospital proves negative as per the results from Uganda Virus Research Institute.
Additional reporting by Alfred Tumushabe
