Acholi leaders criticized for blocking evacuation of COVID-19 patient

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The COVID-19 incident commander Atek Kagirita has condemned the Acholi leaders for blocking the evacuation of a COVID-19 patient to Gulu.

On Wednesday night Acholi leaders led by Aruu County MP blocked an ambulance that was evacuating a cargo truck driver who tested positive for COVID-19.

The truck driver entered Uganda through Malaba on April 12, en route to South Sudan.

He was intercepted at Kamdini Trading Centre in Oyam district, about 65Km south of Gulu Town.

Although the surveillance team had decided to isolate the patient at Gulu Regional Referral Hospital, the leaders stormed the Gulu-Kampala highway to stop the ambulance from entering Gulu town with the patient.

Kagirita said that the actions of the leaders undermine the efforts to fight the virus.

Kagirita says that claims that Gulu regional referral hospital cannot manage COVID-19 patients are not true. He says that all major regional hospitals have been equipped to handle COVID-19.

Kagirita also refuted statements that bringing the patient to Gulu would spread the virus in the area.

Odonga Otto defended the move saying that regional referral hospitals are not prepared to handle the COVID-19 patients. He says his interaction with the hospital revealed that they did not have protective gears.

He also called for the review of the testing of truck drivers saying that they can’t be tested and allowed to move.

Uganda so far has 55 confirmed cases of COVID-19.

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