Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The lack of personal protective equipment for health workers is likely to lead to the spread of infections and deaths. Uganda has so far confirmed 44 cases of COVID-19 as of March 31, 2020. No health worker has yet been infected according to the …
Read More »Water shortage hindering implementation of COVID-19 measures
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Several residents in rural areas across greater Luweero are struggling to implement preventive measures of COVID-19 due to water shortage. Recently President Yoweri Museveni directed that gatherings of more than five people is restricted in a move aimed at de-congesting public places in the …
Read More »Gov’t to prioritize salaries, security- Ministry of Finance
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Government has classified wages and salaries of civil servants, Ministry of Health spending and security as priority spending in the foreseeable future until the country can contain the COVID-19 scourge. Secretary to the Treasury Keith Muhakanizi said in a statement to all accounting …
Read More »Health Ministry to release 200 people from institutional quarantine
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Ministry of Health is going to release 200 people who have been undergoing institutional quarantine this week. These are part of the 1,015 people that have been under institutional quarantine at centres located in Kampala and Wakiso districts. According to the health ministry, …
Read More »Low-skilled workers, developing countries at risk of steep economic decline as COVID-19 advances
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The global economy could shrink by up to one per cent in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and may contract even further if restrictions on economic activities are extended without adequate fiscal responses. This is according to an analysis by the UN Department of …
Read More »Besigye blames Museveni for stopping food donation to vulnerable
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Former Forum for Democratic Change [FDC] president Dr Kizza Besigye has said President Museveni erred by stopping politicians and other well-wishers from donating relief items to those most affected by the COVID-19 lockdown. In a statement, Besigye, Museveni’s four-time challenger said, instead of banning …
Read More »1.5 Million Ugandans to receive relief support
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | 1.5 million vulnerable Ugandans will receive food items. This was revealed by the Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda on Wednesday while presenting a statement to Parliament on the COVID-19 pandemic and government’s preparations and intervention. According to Rugunda, each vulnerable person will receive at least …
Read More »Use malaria drugs only for virus emergencies: EU agency
Paris, France | AFP | Anti-malarial drugs chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine should only be used to treat COVID-19 in clinical trials or in case of “national emergency”, the European Medicine Agency warned Wednesday. Around the world, countries are expanding access to the two compounds, which are used to treat malaria and are known to have anti-viral …
Read More »UK man jailed for six months for ‘virus’ police cough
London, United Kingdom | AFP | A man who coughed on a police officer and threatened to infect him with coronavirus was on Wednesday sentenced to six months in jail in Britain, a police statement said. Adam Lewis, 55, was sentenced under a specific law governing assaults against emergency workers, …
Read More »Health Ministry gets additional UGX 45 Bn for COVID-19 fight
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Budget Committee of Parliament has allocated an additional 45.2 billion shillings to the Health Ministry. On Tuesday, the Finance Minister Matia Kasaija told Members of Parliament that the security sector would receive 81 billion shillings while 62 billion shillings for the Ministry of …
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