The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Members of Parliament have raised concern over the manner, in which the first Ugandan COVID-19 was buried. Yunis Chimatala, succumbed to Covid19 at Joy Hospice center in Mbale City around 2am on Wednesday last week.
She was first admitted at Wasungui health center II on July 15, 2020 in Namisindwa district before being transferred to Joy Hospice health facility from where she died. Postmortem results from Uganda Virus Research Institute, Makerere University, Tororo and Central Public Health Laboratories-CPHL confirmed that she died of Covid19.
Chimatala was reportedly buried hurriedly on Thursday under tight security, a day after she died. Although reports indicate that she was buried as per the safe and dignified burial (SDB) procedures by the Health Ministry team in Sisongfwa village, Mabyaale sub-county in Namisindwa district, MPs have raised a red flag on the burial process.
Raising a matter of national importance on Tuesday, Grace Namukhula Watuwa, the Namisindwa Woman MP, said the deceased was hurriedly buried, adding that the body could have been laid to rest in a shallow grave.
Namukhula also said the Health Ministry intervention has not been adequate in Namisindwa even after the death of a COVID-19 patient.
Abdulatif Sebagala, the Kawempe North MP questioned why the Health Ministry says it has a serious team to handle burials and prevent further cases, but the process in Namisindwa appears poorly done.
The Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga said it was unfortunate that the burial didn’t go well. She directed for the proper burial of the deceased and intervention, saying what is happening is unfortunate. However, none of the line ministers was in parliament when the speaker issued the directive.
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