Dr Byaruhanga has revealed that police has bought a number of body bags in preparation for the worst that may come since Covid-19 cases are skyrocketing.
AIGP Moses Byaruhanga
Of the 48 police officers diagnosed with Covid-19 in exactly four months, 43 have already recovered while four are still undergoing treatment. One unfortunately succumbed.
Dr Moses
Byaruhanga, the director police medical services, told Uganda Radio
Network that the officer who succumbed was in Masaka and that 40 percent of the cases in police are in Kampala.
Dr Byaruhanga who
is at the rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police, said most of the
Covid19 positive cases in the police have been recorded from August 10 to
September 30.
“Since the pandemic
started, as police we registered the first positive case on May 30 at Masindi
police station and two days later we got another from Mutukula" Dr Byaruhanga said. "When transmissions
increased in August particularly in Kampala, our numbers also increased. And I can
say about 40 percent of the cases we have registered are in Kampala.”
Among those
that have recovered from Covid-19 include police’s Chief Political Commissar
AIGP Asan Kasingye. URN has established that among the four who are still
receiving treatment is the Officer Incharge – OC Kanoni Police Station in
Gomba district, ASP Hamson Birungi and OC traffic AIP Malicerino Okongo. The duo
tested positive a few days ago.
Police say
the rising number of cases of policemen and women getting Covid-19 is because of the big
numbers of people they handle every day especially in Kampala. Dr
Byaruhanga said a police stations in Kampala handles more than 600 people every
day and this exposes the officer to the virus.
“We have
disinfected most of the stations in Kampala. The biggest problem is in Kampala.
We are putting major focus in Kampala. We continue to send messages about Covid19
to our units. We continue to support our officers who fall sick,” Dr Byaruhanga
adds.
Police, revealed Dr Byaruhanga, has already bought a number of body bags in preparation for
the worst that may come since Covid19 are skyrocketing. The ministry of health
is exalted by police leadership for the treatment, guidance and response they
give whenever a police officer tests positive for Covid-19.
Senior Staff Reporter
Joseph Kato is currently a Master's candidate at Makerere University. He holds a Bachelors Degree in Mass Communication from Kampala International University, a Diploma in Journalism and he's also a graduate in Guidance and Counseling.