Uganda’s Cabinet will convene today to discuss government response to Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), and devise means of containing it from spreading further to other parts of the country.
Government however maintains that no lockdowns will be imposed in districts where Ebola is suspected to have broken out, much as it is thought that the deadly disease has claimed more than 20 people in a span of just two weeks in those areas.
The Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Dr. Monica Musenero while talking to the press on Monday morning said in today’s meeting, cabinet will mull whether or not to reinstate the national task force to respond to Ebola outbreak like the case was for Covid-19, with experts from other government agencies.
Cabinet will also discuss the option of leaving Ebola matters to the Health Ministry alone to tackle, like the situation is at the moment, in collaboration with local leaders from districts where the endemic is suspected to have found a safe haven.
“We expect the Minister of Health to brief the cabinet on Monday and then we see what is needed, there is a fund known as emergency fund, I don’t know, I don’t think that we need something bigger to battle Ebola because even different task forces exist at different levels, ” revealed Dr. Musenero.
“At this moment, they are going to activate a task force at the Ministry, if need rises, then we will activate the one at the office of the Prime Minister, then to the President, those levels, ” Dr. Musebero added.
In a similar development, Uganda prisons has instituted stringent measures to curb the spread of the endemic among inmates. Among these restrictions, the number of visitors seeking to check on their colleagues and relatives held as inmates has been drastically slashed. Visitors are also not supposed to hug these inmates, or even shake their hands.
The Spokesperson for Uganda prisons Frank Baine said for a visitor to have discussions with an inmate, they will need to keep a distance, and coming closer to one another would be dangerous, and thus has been abolished.
“Like the Ministry of Health urged caution, we also urge our people to conduct themselves like they did during Covid 19 period, visitors, we have not yet stopped them from coming, but they have to avoid person to person contacts, to make sure we follow all guidelines the Ministry of Health issued to contain the spread of Ebola,” said Baine.
“Visitors are allowed to come but there is no shaking hands, no hugging and they have to practice social distancing,” added Baine.
This development comes days after the inspector General of Police Martin Okoth Ochola ordered his officers to release immediately several inmates detained at certain police stations due to petty crimes like pickpocketing, to avoid overcrowding which would make it easier for the disease to spread.
Ebola Virus Disease, the Sudan strain was first detected in Uganda in central parts of Mubende district in Ngabano village, Madudu Sub County on September 20th, when its symptoms were manifested in a 24- year- old male, who later died on a short notice.
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