Fighting coronavirus: District leaders want funding, gadgets
A man (in yellow) dressed in protective gear is escorted as he prepares drive a special service bus taking people to a quarantine facility amid concerns about the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus in Nizamuddin area of New Delhi on March 31, 2020. In Uganda, some local leaders say they have not been provided with equipment like protective gear to help them track suspected cases of coronavirus. AFP PHOTO
What you need to know:
- The LC5 Chairman, Mr Dennis Singahache, asked the Dr Bamuturaki to come up with the budget so that they can solicit funds from each department.
Leaders in Kabale, Kisoro and Ntungamo districts have asked the central government to allocate them more funds and fuel for running vehicles that are used in patrolling border areas and to enable them to promptly respond to alerts about suspected coronavirus cases in their communities.
Kisoro LC5 Chairman, Mr Abel Bizimana and the Kabale District health officer, Mr Alfred Besigensi on Monday said all their fuel budgets had been exhausted.
“We have been using the district fuel to respond to coronavirus alerts but now all the fuel is exhausted. We are soon getting stuck. We appeal to the Ministry of Health to avail us with more fuel to enable us keep working,” Mr Besigensi said.
Mr Bizimana said Kisoro people are at high risk of coronavirus because the district neighbors Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda where many cases have been registered.
DR Congo has registered over 80 confirmed cases with 8 deaths already while Rwanda had confirmed 70 cases as of March 29.
“We parked the government vehicles at the district headquarters as per the presidential directive but there is no fuel to facilitate movement and do the work they are supposed to do. Because of the porous border, we need to have patrol vehicles in these areas day and night so that we can be able to fix the problem of illegal immigrants that are likely to cross into Uganda with coronavirus,” Mr Bizimana said.
All the 90 people quarantined at Kirigime Guest House in Kabale and the 14 people at KisoroPrimary Teachers’ College premises have not showed any signs or symptoms of coronavirus.
Dr Richard Bakamuturaki, the Ntungamo District Health officer, said at a review meeting of the District COVID-19 Task Force chaired by the Resident District Commissioner, Mr George Bakunda on Monday that they lack face masks, medical gloves, fuel and vehicles for medical personnel who are tracing the suspects of coronavirus disease in the remote villages.
“We were sent to trace and monitor the suspected cases in the villages but without gadgets especially face masks, and fuel. We sought 6,000 litres of fuel from ministry but they gave us on 150 litres which is too little to this noble cause,” Dr Bakamuturaki said.
The LC5 Chairman, Mr Dennis Singahache, asked the Dr Bamuturaki to come up with the budget so that they can solicit funds from each department.
