Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Kampala has marked an increase in traffic congestion along the major junctions as private cars returned on the roads with the easing of the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions. URN journalists were in Kamwokya, Kalerwe, Bwaise and Wandegeya and found that unlike during the lockdown, the …
Read More »Two Somali Nationals escape from COVID-19 quarantine centre in Masindi
Masindi, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Health officials in Masindi district are hunting for two Somali Nationals who escaped from Masindi hospital COVID-19 quarantine center. The Somalis Ibrahim Muhamed and his wife Shamula Muhamed escaped from the center on Monday. Dr Rogers Musinguzi, the head of COVID-19 case management team …
Read More »Onion prices shoot up across markets in Acholi sub-region
Amuru, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Onion prices have shot up in markets within Acholi sub-region. In Kalongo market in Kalongo town council, a kilogram of onions now goes for 6,500 Shillings up from 4,500 Shillings. Lucky Akello, one of the vendors in Kalongo market told Uganda Radio Network that …
Read More »Give landlords tax incentives to waive rent – KACITA
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Kampala City Traders Association (KACITA) has asked government to waive income tax obligation from rent for the three months of lockdown to help the landlords also reduce pressure on the tenants. KACITA was today appearing before the National Economy committee of Parliament which …
Read More »What to look out for when buying face masks
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | As government enforces the compulsory wearing of masks in public to prevent the spread of Covid-19, there is an ongoing debate on the quality of masks that can protect the user from infection. Currently, the market is awash with different kinds of masks produced …
Read More »Maintaining HIV patients on drugs taking toll on healthcare services providers
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | HIV care service providers are struggling to maintain total adherence to drugs by their clients amidst the Covid-19 lockdown. Essentially, all HIV positive persons are promptly enrolled on the lifetime antiretroviral medication to support their immune system from being compromised by the virus. However, …
Read More »Police disperses vendors in Jinja for flouting Covid-19 guidelines
Jinja, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The police and UPDF soldiers on Monday engaged in running battles with vendors from Napier market who were selling second-hand clothes contrary to presidential COVID-19 directives. They did not have face masks and were not maintaining physical distancing. The vendors had displayed their merchandise …
Read More »Arua residents reject location of second COVID-19 quarantine centre
Arua, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Communities surrounding Arua Prison Primary School have rejected a proposal to set up a COVID-19 quarantine centre at the school. This was planned to be the second quarantine centre in the district. The first quarantine centre, at Arua Nursing School, currently has up to 51 …
Read More »Sex workers turn cargo trucks into lodges in Elegu
Elegu, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The cargo trucks that have formed lengthy queues in Elegu town council, Amuru district are facilitating illicit commercial sex trade in the area. As a safeguard to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, all lodges in Elegu town were closed in …
Read More »WHO suspends hydroxychloroquine trial as COVID-19 treatment
Geneva, Switzerland | AFP | The World Health Organization said Monday it had temporarily suspended clinical trials of hydroxychloriquine as a potential treatment for COVID-19 being carried out across a range of countries as a precautionary measure. The decision came after publication last week of a study in The Lancet which …
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