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Coronavirus: Districts set up isolation centres
Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital has banned food vendors, and asked patients to have only one caretaker to reduce congestion at the facility as one of the measures against the spread of coronavirus.
Dr Celestine Barigye, the hospital director, announced the measures on Monday during a staff training on coronavirus management.
“You find a patient has 50 grandchildren, 20 of these want to be with him or her at the hospital, no, this has stopped. Every patient must have one caretaker, this caretaker can update the relatives on the patient’s condition using a phone,” Dr Barigye said.
“Besides, coronavirus having already been confirmed here (country), this hospital is at more risk. We share a border with countries such as Rwanda and DR Congo that are grappling with the virus,” he added.
Dr Barigye said the caretakers and hospital staff will buy food and other necessities from the hospital canteen only.
However, some caretakers said canteen food is expensive.
“A cup of tea is Shs1,000 but vendors sell it at Shs500. We have been buying food at Shs2,000 but the canteen sells it at Shs3,000,” Ms Angella Byaruhanga, a caretaker, said.
Dr Barigye said they had trained enough manpower and are well equipped to handle any case of coronavirus.
“We have trained all our staff; we have an isolation centre, protective gear and equipment to handle coronavirus. The public should not get worried,” he said.
Dr Peter Ssebutinde, the district health officer, urged the community to report any suspected case to the nearest health centres.
“We have a rapid response team on standby, just report to nearest health centre, we will reach you. Travelling long distances to access services will instead increase the risk of spreading the virus,” Dr Ssebutinde said.
Meanwhile, authorities in Ntungamo District have established three isolation centres for people from countries with coronavirus cases and those that might have got in contact with the patients.
Addressing the district security team and health officials on Monday, Mr George Bakunda, the Resident District Commissioner (RDC), said they had set up the centres at Rwembogo and Rubbaare secondary schools, as well as Ihunga Polytechnic to prepare for any eventualities.
“We have a challenge of teachers who have been working in Rwanda but recently might have crossed into Uganda through porous borders which is a risk to many Ugandans. We are hunting for them,” Mr Bakunda said.
“We cannot debate the presidential directive, we must implement it. Therefore, when we get any person that entered the country recently, we shall quarantine him/or her for 14 days,” he added.
Mr Dennis Singahache, the district chairperson, urged the public to vigilant and report any person that has crossed into Uganda and those with signs of coronavirus.
Quarantine case
Mr Dan Kaguta, the Rukungiri RDC, said they had last week put three teachers from Rwanda under quarantine but realised they could not provide for them, and let them to go to their homes.
“We do not have resources to do this (quarantine). They were moving out of the place where we had quarantined them. We thought it was outrageous and we left them to go. We are monitoring them with help of community members,” Mr Kaguta said.
He said many teachers who have been working in Rwanda may have returned to Uganda after closure of schools, adding that they need to be monitored since Rwanda had the first case of coronavirus before Uganda.
Compiled by Rajab Mukombozi, Elly Katahinga & Perez Rumanzi
