The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
🔸 88 confirmed cases
🔸 52 recoveries
✳ 0 deaths
Entebbe, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT & URN | President Yoweri Museveni is expected to give a timeline Monday 8pm on how government will ease the country out of lockdown, but all indications are that schools will be among the last to be re-opened.
The lockdown was originally set to run until May 5, and a decision on its ease, extension or not, will likely depend on results from community tests of 20,000 Ugandans that was launched early in the week. So far only 3 people have tested positive out of the 1752Â community tests done in the past four days.
Uganda’s health minister Dr Ruth Aceng and Permanent Secretary Dr Diana Atwine have just completed a tour of the country’s northern and western borders, another area of concern as are the truck drivers. Of Uganda’s current 88 confirmed cases, 29 have been truck drivers in the past fortnight.
“The markets, private and public transport… those we are discussing on how we can start easing the lockdown on them. [But] We need a comprehensive plan if we are to open schools. In some districts nearly half of the children in the schools are from neigbouring districts and countries. Uganda is an education hub, from university, tertiary. secondary to primary,” she said in Kisoro yesterday.
Schools were closed in March, 2020 on the directives of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni as one of the preventive measures against the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The president later declared a total lockdown which many think could be relaxed on May 5th.
However, speaking to Kisoro district Covid-19 taskforce members at Uganda-DR Congo border of Bunagana on Saturday, Dr. Atwine says that hopes of re-opening schools for learning to resume are currently not in plan.
Dr. Atwine who also assessed the COVID-19 preparedness at the Uganda-Rwanda border of Chanika, Kisoro hospital in Kisoro district, Uganda-Rwanda border of Katuna and Kabale regional referral hospital in Kabale district explained that the government is aware that some schools especially those along the border attract learners from neighboring countries adding that opening them now means that it will give a chance for some people to cross to Uganda.
She says that re-opening of schools requires a comprehensive plan to guarantee heath safety of learners and total preparedness against COVID -19. Dr. Atwine also made it clear that allowing public gathering like markets and transport needs a comprehensive plan.
She also explained that the lockdown will be lifted partially in order not to risk since the neighbouring countries are registering a rapid increase of COVID -19 cases.
At Kabale regional referral hospital, Atwine was not convinced by ongoing works at the renovation of Intensive Care Unit (ICU) meant to host COVID-19 victims. Dr. Atwine was shocked to find that the dressing room and toilets for health workers are constructed outside instead of inside.  She was also shocked to find it with three doors and bugler proof windows.
She ordered for the suspension of works and promised to send experts from ministry of health to the hospital to guide on how Intensive care units are set up.
Darius Nandinda, Kabale Resident District Commissioner, Abel Bizimana, Kisoro LC5 Chairman and John Ninzeyimana Kamara, Bufumbira North Member of parliament requested the government to authorize more intensive deployment of soldiers along the borders to prevent Rwandan and DR Congo nationals from crossing to Uganda through porous borders.
Community survey key
The other factor that could influence Museveni’s decision in the next 48 hours on how long the lock-down lasts will be 20,000 tests to be done in a survey in the next one week.
The Ministry of Health early in the week launched a rapid survey which will guide on lifting the Coronavirus COVID -19 lockdown. The survey will estimate the community prevalence of the virus.
According to the Minister of Health Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng, this survey will involve a representative population of truckers and communities along their routes, health workers, market vendors, fishing communities, Taxi drivers, LDUs and religious leaders.
She said the survey is necessary because recently truck drivers who tested positive with COVID -19 traveled through the country and yet not all contacts of the initial patients that have since been treated were tested in time.
Dr. Aceng said it’s better to do this assessment now when the lockdown is still on with less population movements. She says about 20,000 Ugandans will be asked brief information about themselves and then blood and a nasopharyngeal swab will be collected to test for COVID -19.
Currently the country is in week five of the lock down which was directed by President Yoweri Museveni to limit community transmission of the disease.
Aceng says the results of this assessment survey will inform them whether the lock down will be lifted soon or not.
Plz ugandans must follow president directives of covid 19
All Ugandans must get tredged of the disease that has vamoosed to all over the world and must follow the rules that the president gushed out