Kitgum COVID-19 quarantine centres run out of food supply

Kitgum, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The three designated COVID-19 quarantine centres in Kitgum district as part of the measures to curtail the spread of the deadly pandemic have run out of food supply.

The centres established at Padwong Health Centre III, St. Joseph’s Hospital and Kitgum General Hospital are currently housing over 30 people who include COVID-19 suspects and contacts currently placed under quarantine, health workers, support staff and security personnel deployed to man the centres.

Kitgum district chairperson Jackson Omona told the district COVID-19 taskforce meeting last evening that despite receiving donations from well-wishers in recent weeks, the taskforce store has run out of food stocks and consumables and that whatever they have in stock can only feed them for two days.

This explanation followed concerns raised by persons placed under quarantine centres over the lack of basic amenities and food supply. According to Omona, authorities have in the past few days been overwhelmed with telephone calls from a section of people placed under quarantine over lack of food, hunger and the late supply of meals on a daily basis.

Kitgum Resident District Commissioner William Komakech who also chairs the COVID-19 taskforce attributes the shortage of food to an increase of persons being placed under quarantine which has overstretched the anticipated figure. Initially, the task force had planned for less than 10 people in the quarantine centres.

He says that despite completing their mandatory period of quarantine, some suspects and contacts couldn’t be discharged and were still being kept at the facilities due to delays in receiving their test results.

Komakech says that the task force is now contemplating imploring development partners, sympathizers and well-wishers for logistical support to help feed the persons at the quarantine centres.

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