Speaker Among issues strict Ebola guidelines

The  Speaker of Parliament, Ms Anita Among, yesterday issued a string of guidelines aimed at containing the spread of Ebola disease to legislators, staff and all other persons visiting the House.
The guidelines followed consultation with the Minister for Health, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng, before the resumption of Parliament’s month-long recess.

“In the interest of safety and well-being of members, in exercise of responsible leadership, I did write to the Minister of Health asking her to guide us on how we should behave and how the House should be resumed because of the outbreak of Ebola,” Ms Among said.
The guidelines bar visitors from Parliament except for persons who have specific invitations.  
“Unless you are coming to the committee but even when you are, you should be subjected to health checks and hand washing. If you have your visitors, kindly tell them to wait for you in the constituency,” Ms Among said.

According to the guidelines, plenary sessions will also have only 100 MPs while others will contribute to the debates or any other proceedings through virtual means. Ms Among said plenary sessions would run for about three hours.
Most of the committee sessions convened yesterday catered for virtual platforms like that of the Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights chaired by Mr Fox Odoi.
All persons accessing Parliament will be subject to body temperature check-ups, tasked to wear a facemask and ensure that there is frequent hand washing as well as sanitising of hands.

Ms Among also advised all persons  with signs and symptoms similar to those of Ebola to seek medical attention.
Speaker Among also tasked the Minister of Health officials to frequently update Parliament on the Ebola situation in the country.
The House adjourned the debate on the matter to today with State Minister for Primary Health, Ms Margaret Muhanga, promising that a comprehensive report on Ebola in the country would be tabled.
Dr Aceng asked her counterparts in the Ministry of Education to consider revising school calendars to have early closure of schools to contain Ebola.
At least six learners from three schools in Rubaga Division, Kampala, had been reported among the Ebola patients that were said to be receiving treatment.