Kitgum seeks UGX 1.4b to tackle Covid-19 pandemic

Kitgum, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT |  Kitgum District Coronavirus Task force Committee has budgeted for 1.48 billion shillings to tackle the spread of coronavirus disease.

This comes as the district is battling to streamline its operation amidst limited funds through the taskforce committee formed to fight covid19 Pandemic.

Martin Jacan Gwokto, Kitgum District Chief Administrative Officer also the Covid-19 Taskforce Resource Mobilization Chairperson says the budget will help to carter for the operation of the six committees under the taskforce with case management taking a lion share of shillings 1.2 billion.

Other committees, like publicity and mobilization, presented a budget of 132 million shillings, surveillance shillings 112 million, construction shillings 10 million while the secretariat and resource mobilization committee have the lowest budget of 4.6 million.

Gwokto notes that part of the budget under construction will be used to refurbish Pandwong Health Center III maternity ward restore electricity, tap water and erect fence since it has been selected as an isolation health facility for suspected Covid19 patients.

The district covid19 taskforce had earlier selected a unit at Kitgum General Hospital and later begun plans to erect tents in a graded site at the same facility before opting to District Farm Institute [DFI] as Isolation centres.

Gwokto, however, says the facilities have all been abandoned due to hefty costs in setting the isolation centre while others were not suitable citing DFI facility.

Dr Geoffrey Okello, the Kitgum Genera Hospital Acting Medical Superintendent, however, stressed that they are still faced with dire shortages of personal protective gears and staff shortages to respond to Covid-19 pandemic.

The district covid-19 task force has so far received a donation of more than 700 litres of fuel both in cash and pledges from various stakeholders.

The Finance Ministry is seeking Shillings 284 billion to ease the coronavirus pandemic impact out of which Shillings 81 billion will be allocated to security while Shillings 62 billion to the Health sector.

Local Government is expected to receive Shillings 36 billion out of the budget.

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