No cash yet to distribute government masks

Officials from border districts that received government masks have said they do not have the money to distribute them.
“The Ministry of Health has not sent money for distribution. However, we are set and the distribution is starting tomorrow (today) as we wait for the money,” Mr Geoffrey Oceng, the Amuru Resident District Commissioner (RDC), said yesterday.
The case is the same for Isingiro District.

“We are still meeting the district taskforce, Covid-19 committee and sub-county team to see how we can start distribution,” Mr Gideon Tusiime, the RDC, said.

Ms Robinah Nabbanja, the State Minister of Health in charge of General Duties, confirmed that they had not yet released the money.
“They have not paid anybody because the procedure of payment takes some time. Every district will get masks in phased manner. We started with high-risk districts then we shall continue with border districts and all other parts will be considered,” Ms Nabbanja said.
Last month, the President announced that government would distribute free masks to all Ugandans above six years.
Dr Jane Ruth Aceng, the Minister for Health, said the ministry would spend about Shs81b to buy and distribute the masks.

However, some local leaders say the masks are few.
“I have been monitoring the exercise but the masks are not enough, we need over 80,000 facemasks if we are to cover the gaps in the entire district,” Mr Geoffrey Wandera, the Busia District chairperson, said.
More than two million facemasks have been distributed to eight border districts, including Adjumani, Kyotera, Rakai and Moyo .