The driver if the truck registration number KCE 448E, entered Uganda through Malaba on April 12, enroute to South Sudan. He was intercepted at Kamdini Trading Centre in Oyam District, about 65Km South of Gulu Town.
Leaders from
Acholi on Wednesday night blocked an ambulance that was evacuating a cargo
truck driver who tested positive for to Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19).
The driver of the truck registration
number KCE 448E, entered Uganda through Malaba on April 12, en route to South Sudan. He was intercepted at Kamdini Trading Centre in Oyam District, about 65Km south of
Gulu Town.
The surveillance team who intercepted him made a decision isolate him at Gulu Regional Referral Hospital. However, area leaders stormed the Gulu-Kampala highway to stop the ambulance from entering Gulu town with the patient.
Aruu County MP,
Samuel Odonga Otto led the blocked the ambulance from Palenga Trading
Centre in Omoro district arguing that Gulu Regional Referral Hospital where the patient was heading is not well equipped to manage the case.
Acholi//Cue in; “We have some...
Cue out ...twoo-ni Kampala.”//
Kilak South
County MP, Gilbert Olanya, equally states that the decision by Ministry of Health to direct the
patient to Gulu was uncalled for since he was intercepted in Oyam District and
should have been referred to Lira Regional Referral Hospital.
Meanwhile, Polly Philip
Okin Ojara, the Chua East County legislator and Chairperson Acholi Parliamentary
Group (APG) contended that all districts must handle their own COVID-19 cases basing
on the supplementary budget recently passed by Parliament.
Acholi //Cue in; “Lawor maca wa...
Cue out ...watoo watumu.”//
Martin Ojara Mapenduzi,
the Gulu District Chairperson revealed that Ministry of Health had ordered
the ambulance to take the patient to Gulu before Deputy Speaker of Parliament Jacob Oulanya intervened, consulted with the line Ministry and ordered the ambulance to take the patient to Entebbe Grade B Hospital.
Oulanyah also confirmed
that the truck driver was indeed referred to Gulu Regional Referral
Hospital (GRRH) saying the health team from Gulu was dispatched to pick him
from Kamdini.
“But after careful
consideration and consultation, the patient is being transported to instead to
Kampala and as I talk, they have already crossed Karuma.” Said Oulanyah.
This is the
second time the Ministry of Health is meeting resistance in attempts to admit COVID-19 patients in Gulu. The first was a man who tested positive for the virus in Adjumani in March whose admission was also blocked by area leaders.
The total number of
confirmed COVID-19 cases in Uganda still remains at 55.
Ochola's journalism career begun from Radio King 90.2 FM in Gulu around 2009, and Radio Rupiny 95.7 Fm under Vision Group in 2012. He also reported for Mighty Fire 91.5 Fm, Kitgum in 2015 before joining Wizarts Foundation in 2017.
He has been reporting for Uganda Radio Network (URN) since 2017 before being posted as Bureau Chief Kitgum, and later Gulu between 2018 - 2021. Currently, he reports from Parliament.
