The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
The infection rates, although low compared to figures from other regions; especially Europe and the Americas hit by the COVID-19 pendamic, are causing fear and panic. The infection among truck drivers compares very unfavourably with the negligible numbers of infections among tested samples of members of the local communities in Uganda.
And the numbers reeled off daily by Minister of Health on her twitter handle @JaneRuth_Aceng appear to confirm the worst case scenario:
Today, 14 May, 2020, 21 new COVID-19 cases confirmed from 1,593 samples of truck drivers. This brings the total number of COVID-19 cases to 160 in Uganda. The new cases include: Ugandans, Kenyans, Tanzanians and South Sudanese who arrived via Mutukula, Busia and Elegu borders. All 303 community samples have tested negative for COVID-19.
Today, 13 May, 2020, 13 new COVID-19 cases confirmed from 1,741 samples of truck drivers bringing the total number of COVID-19 cases to 139.
The new cases are 7 Ugandans, 5 Kenyans and 1 Eritrean who arrived from Tanzania, South Sudan and Kenya via Mutukula, Elegu and Malaba.
Today, 12 May, 2020, 4 new COVID-19 cases confirmed from 1,478 samples of truck drivers. This brings the total number of COVID-19 cases to 126 in Uganda. The new cases include: 2 Ugandans, 1 Kenyan who arrived via Elegu and 1 Tanzanian who arrived via Mutukula border.
Today,11 May,2020, 1 new COVID-19 case confirmed from 2,296 samples of truck drivers. This brings the total number of COVID-19 cases to 122 in Uganda. The new case is a Ugandan truck driver who arrived from Juba via Elegu. All 558 community samples tested negative for COVID-19.
Confusion in EAC
The Ministry of Health on April 28 launched a rapid assessment survey of the prevalence of the COVID-19 pandemic in communities. The survey targeted market vendors, truck drivers and communities along their routes, border crossing points and local communities, health workers, and the security forces among others.
The investigation teams were taking a blood samples and nose and throat swabs from individuals to test for the novel coronavirus.
According to the ministry, the survey results were to be released on May 4, with subsequent decisions to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus. The results were eventually released on May 14. Minister Aceng said out of 14,061 participants of the targeted 23,000 samples, only four sporadic cases tested positive including; two police officers, a Ugandan student returnee from Bukoba in Tanzania and a truck driver in Rakai. She said that translated to just 0.03% community transmission in Uganda.
From the rapid assessment survey there is indeed no COVID-19 transmission within the Ugandan community, Aceng said.
Uganda has since March when the first COVID-19 case was registered instituted a series of measures to contain the virus’ spread. Among the measures has been a lockdown to limit public interaction, banning all public gatherings and closing schools. So far the country has registered low levels of infection compared to other countries, but that could be down to the low levels of testing, especially at the community level.
That has left easy to target clusters as the main contributors to known infections. First it was the air travel arrivals at the only international airport at Entebbe and now it is the cross-border Long Distance Truck drivers.
On April 24, Members of Parliament asked the government to get tougher on curbing the increasing number of coronavirus by truck drivers crossing into the country. The MPs said the high cases were likely to lead to increased spread of the virus within Uganda, especially if the truck drivers interact with many people along the routes that they ply. Uganda had just recorded the highest single day number of infections, 11, in one day.
“The new cases from truck drivers are worrying,” said Budama South MP, Jacob Oboth Oboth, “The border districts are vulnerable to the truck drivers whose inter-personal relations are not-questionable and likely to cause danger to the country.”
Many MPs demanded that truck drivers are first tested in their countries of origin and given certification of clearance for COVID-19 before departing for Uganda. They said should apply to all East African Community (EAC) member states.
Many truck drivers enter Uganda from Kenya through Malaba, Busia and and Tanzania through Mutukula border posts.
Increasing tests at the borders have led to delays and rising confusion among the East African Community member states about how best to test the drivers without causing additional problems.
During the second national prayers hosted at State House Entebbe on May 09, President Yoweri Museveni announced that the leaders of Kenya, Tanzania, South Sudan and Rwanda and Uganda were in talks to have a common position for drivers to be tested where they are coming from. He said instead of testing at the border, the joint teams of the four countries and their health teams will test the truck drivers before they take off from their countries of origin.
True. A good observation. We need to establish preventive measures that includes; motivation of sex workers to dissuade fm bzness, make it a lawful for truk drivers not allowed to have sex in Ug, and mandatory testing for all diseases. Hard but possible
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