The Minister of Health, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng has blamed Ministry of Finance for not providing financial support towards Ebola Management.
The health ministry, has since last August embarked on preparedness drives following an Ebola outbreak in Mabalako, in Democratic Republic of Congo.
One of the moves was to vaccinate over 4,200 front line health workers, and to deploy health workers to monitor the DRC-Uganda border so that whoever crosses is vaccinated or examined.
But while appearing before Parliament on Tuesday to present the statement on the Ebola Outbreak in Uganda, Aceng said the Finance the ministry has not shown any care or help in the fight against Ebola and that her ministry had handled the disease without any government assistance.
“In all these processes government has not provided any financial support to the management of Ebola. The ministry has often mobilized resources from development partners to finance Ebola management,” Aceng said
She added “Over 4000 front line health workers have been vaccinated against Ebola in the high-risk districts. Ebola Treatment Units and isolation facilities have been constructed and operationalized in the high-risk districts by the help of development partners.”
But since the preparedness started at the border, the frontline health workers have not been paid for over eight months, while the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Force soldiers with whom they work, have gone four months without pay.
Most of the processes were supported by the World Health Organization. (WHO).
“WHO supported us almost 85 per cent during this response phase, we have received a total of 3000 doses of the vaccine. Other 400 doses were from DRC as a quick initial measure,” said Aceng, noting that the ministry received help from Embassies from Scandinavian countries such as Sweden in form of ambulances which have helped in monitoring suspects in hard to reach areas.
Meanwhile on the status of Ebola containment in Uganda, Aceng told the House that the last Ebola case was registered four days ago.
“As of 17th June, there are two new suspect cases who are under isolation at Bwere,” she said.
