Coronavirus: UPDF to take control of all quarantine and isolation centres in Kampala
Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) Health team has joined the Ministry of health in the fight against the deadly COVID-19 disease. UPDF will take control of all quarantine centres in Kampala.
Richard Karemire, the army Spokesperson said a team of UPDF Doctors trained by the Ministry of Health have been dispatched to Entebbe Airport, Entebbe Grade B hospital and at all quarantine and isolation centres in Kampala and Entebbe.
“Dr Capt Kyitahimbwa of Air Force and Dr Capt Magoba of SFC have been tasked to oversee all quarantine centres in Kampala and Entebbe areas to ensure compliance with the already given guidelines,” Karemire said via his social media page.
Karemire listed down the Hotels where quarantine and isolation are being conducted by the Health Ministry which include; Protea, Imperial Botanical, Central Inn and Mission Hotel among others including Arch Apartments, Emin Pasha Hotel among others.
Dr Jane Ruth Aceng on Saturday 21 revealed that a total of 1827 travellers both foreigners and nationals are under quarantine over Coronavirus.
About 827 completing self-quarantine while 1000 are still under quarantine.
“To date, a total of 1827 travellers including Ugandans and others travelling back home have been identified as coming from high-risk countries for purposes of follow-up. About 827 are completing self-quarantine while about 1000 are under quarantine,” Aceng said.
The purpose of deploying the army to manage and control quarantine centres to make sure that no individual runs away from quarantine as early reported.
Chinese nationals who tried to run away from quarantine will today be tried in courts of law in Kampala after they were found and arrested in Zombo, near Uganda’s border with the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Dr Diana Atwine, the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Health urged Ugandans to follow guidelines issued by the government to stop the virus from spreading.
“When it’s time to listen, Ugandans should listen. When it is time to act they should act instead of spending more time talking they should implement. Countries that delayed to act are having greater challenges,” Atwine said.
New guidelines from the President
In President Museveni’s Sunday evening address, he said closing all borders and the Airport allowing only cargo planes and trucks not exceeding two people is to ensure that Ugandans are safe and to save the country from having thousands of graves, as a result of COVID-19 disease.
He said the country should be strict for now defeat the virus and go back to our normal lifestyles as it has been.
In his remarks, the President said he’s still contemplating a ban on public transport as it seems to be the biggest threat to the spread of Coronavirus if an infected person happens to be in the van.
However, in the meantime, he advised Ugandans to shun public means and stay at home for now.
“Now, the only remaining thing is public transport. That’s what I’m still struggling within my head. If you don’t have your private means of transport, don’t use public transport. Stay at home. Where are you going? I’m thinking of having temperature monitors at disembarkation and embarkation points of these public means of transport. I don’t want to ban them but I am trying to discourage you (citizens) from using them,” Museveni said.
“In public transport, people sit together on a bus or taxi. I appeal to you that if you have no private transport, stay home and postpone that business because it can wait,” Museveni added.
The president as well warned Ugandans against handshaking and discouraged the adopted alternative of knocking elbows saying it could lead to further spread of the virus that has locked down the whole world.
“No shaking hands. I see you people knocking elbows; elbows for what! I have seen you and greeted you. Why do I need to knock your elbow? Those are idiotic things,” Museveni said.
Further, he warned students who are home at a moment against loitering in trading centres and towns saying they should strictly stay home.
“To the school children that were sent home, please stay home, do not loiter, the address we sent you to was home, not the trading centres, otherwise reckless movement poses a risk of contracting the virus. The other day I was telling you how we survived smallpox of 1881. It was by staying home. It killed some people but those who stayed home survived,” Museveni said.
“Before I came here, I saw a young man called Obuku who used to make a lot of noise speaking nonsense, but this time he spoke some sense, I heard him telling people to stay home, so coronavirus shouldn’t be underestimated because it’s making some people speak sense.”
Museveni then emphasized the issue of washing hands and completely banned bars from operating.
“Night clubs and bars are not workplaces. They are ad-hoc and anybody comes in and that’s where the danger is. Therefore, they should all be closed, unlike, offices where they know each and everyone who comes in and leaves.”
“Please wash your hands at all times. In offices, you could have someone go around with disinfectants cleaning tables, chairs and other surfaces. But at a personal level, wash your hands frequently and don’t touch your delicate parts like nose, mouth and eyes… the away I see, this virus is easy to defeat if you follow the NRA way. This is a war of people. I’m here to lead the people’s warlike I led the village people in 1980s. We defeated HIV/AIDS with ABC (Abstinence, Be faithful and use of Condoms) strategy.”
