Basalirwa: "Who will enforce presidential directives on Covid19 measures?"

Health

Thu 19 Mar, 2020

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Justice Forum president Asuman Basalirwa has called into question some of the preventive and containment measures against a possible Coronavirus outbreak announced by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni.

President Museveni ordered the closure of all educational institutions, halting of religious services and putting in place standards of procedure in public buildings and places of work. President Museveni made these pronouncements in a speech at State House Entebbe on Wednesday, March 17, 2020.

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But JEEMA head Basalirwa has queried the point of suspending several vital public events when the country is yet to register a case of Coronavirus.

Basalirwa wondered, "What are the 32 days' shutdown intended to achieve since the country has got no case confirmed of Coronavirus?"

The party head expressed concern at President Museveni's suggestion that Ugandans abroad in countries with confirmed cases of Coronavirus should stay there until the outbreak is brought under control.

Basalirwa also wondered who will enforce the ban on religious ceremonies.

He expressed disappointment at President Museveni's failure to speak on the straitened resources of the health sector expected to spearhead the fight against a possible Coronavirus outbreak in Uganda.

He said, "This financial year, shillings 2.6 trillion was allocated to the health sector and not only is it insufficient but COVID19 was not anticipated."

Basalirwa proposed that money be availed from other sectors to avail at a free or subsidized cost face masks and sanitizers to at least the most vulnerable and impecunious communities like the elderly and disabled to deal with COVID19.

JEEMA also propose that that government trains volunteers to help medical personnel deal with people who may report COVID19 symptoms around the country.