Amuru is listed as one of the COVID-19 hotspots in the country due to its proximity to the Uganda – South Sudan border. Up to 125 positive cases of COVID-19 have been intercepted in Elegu Town Council in Amuru district since March 2020.
Dr Joyce Moriku Kaducu, Minister for Primary Health Care dresses up Kilak South MP Gilbert Olanya with government mask in Amuru District - Photo by Dominic Ochola
More than 60,000 people have missed out on the free government
face masks that were distributed to curb the transmission of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19).
Amuru is listed as one of the COVID-19 hotspots in the country due to its proximity to the Uganda – South Sudan border. Up to 125 positive cases of COVID-19 have
been intercepted in Elegu Town Council in Amuru district since March, 2020. Of those, 67 were truck drivers, 57
community members including security personnel and four individuals who sneaked
through the porous border entry points.
The district is estimated to have a population of 240,000 people. But last month, the Ministry of Health dispatched 171, 444 masks to the area under a government initiative to distribute masks to all nationals, starting with the border points.
Amuru Resident District Commissioner Geoffrey Oceng Osborn says that the
supplied masks were inadequate for the population. He added that due to resource constraints, they distributed
face masks to the beneficiaries through Local Council structures aided by the
in-charge of lower health facilities in the different parishes.
//Cue in; “We received…
Cue out…to embrace this.’’//
He further explained that the task force has already written
to the Ministry of Health soliciting for additional face masks considering the vulnerability of the District which is at the epicentre of the infectious
contagion.
The District Health Officer Dr Patrick Odong Olwedo acknowledged that there is a shortage of face masks and added that
they have advised some residents to purchase and improvise the masks as they
wait for more supply from the government.
//Cue in; “We have distributed…
Cue out…in the district.’’//
State Minister for
Primary Healthcare Dr Joyce Moriku Kaducu rallied the District leaders to intensify the risk
communication and community engagement to encourage regular handwashing and
social distancing rules to interrupt the cycles of further infections.
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 latr Gulu between 2018 - 2021. Currently, he reports from Parliament.
