Dr Sophie Namasopi, the Director of Kabale Regional Referral Hospital has described the Kigezi sub region as a red zone for covid-19, considering the high prevalence of the pandemic in her neighboring countries.
According to Namasopi, Kigezi borders Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, which have high prevalence for Covid-19.
She has thus called on government to consider Kigezi as region that needs special attention in a bid to stem the continuous spread of coronavirus in the country.
She made the remarks on Tuesday while meeting the members of the health committee of the parliament of Uganda at Kabale Regional Referral Hospital.
The health committee of parliament, which was on the fact finding mission in regard to the monitoring of Covid-19 in the country was led by the Nakawa division legislator Kabaziguruka Michael Andrew.
“Our referral hospital has a very old ambulance, has no Intensive Care Unit yet neighboring countries like DRC have a high prevalence for Covid-19, which could cross to Kigezi sub region,” Namasopi said.
Darius Nandinda, the Resident district commissioner of Kabale reported that the region’s terrain is very hilly and thus required vehicles from government to monitor and assist in covid-19 related activities.
“We’ve not received any vehicle from government, yet we are border districts. We are surprised that some inland districts have received vehicles for Covid-19. Government should consider border districts as first as possible,” Nandinda said.
Timuzigu Michael Kamugisha, the Kajara county Member of parliament castigated the health Ministry for supplying vehicles and masks to other districts, ignoring border districts.
“We need to ask the health ministry why Kabale hospital has no ambulance, yet we as parliament appropriated funds. We shall need to know why Kabale and other districts of Kigezi haven’t got pickups when they are at a high risk of getting the disease yet other districts, which have a low risk have received,” Timuzigu said.
Kabale regional referral hospital is responsible for the districts of Kabale, Rubanda, Rukiga, Kisoro Kanungu and Rukungiri.
The chairperson of the delegation Hon Kabaziguruka Michael said there is a need to address the challenges in the region as far as Covis-19 funds, since parliament appropriated funds for that matter.
“We are faced with an emergency and so we must operate in an emergency mode. There is a need to seriously address these issues,” Kabaziguruka said.
Kabale regional referral hospital is treating six Covid-19 patients, having successfully discharged other three.
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