Covid-19: Health ministry receives Shs 3.7 bn from Denmark

The Ministry of Health on Wednesday received an additional $1 million (About shs 3.7 bn) boost from the government of Denmark to support the COVID-19 response in Uganda.

The minister of Health Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng who received the funds on behalf of the Ministry of Health revealed that the grant will be used to procure test kits and additional protective gear for frontline health workers in the Covid-19 response.

Aceng said: "Uganda has a great need for testing kits and this grant comes as a boost to our testing capacity. This will help in combing out COVID-19 infections from the communities. Thank you for the support and steadfast partnership."

Speaking on behalf of the Danish government, Nicolaj A. Hejberg Petersen, who is the Danish ambassador to Uganda said that the contribution comes to increase Uganda's testing capacity, especially at the borders.

"This contribution is intended to increase the number of people being tested and decrease congestion at the border points to ease tension in trade within the East African Community," Petersen said.

Last week, while delivering accountability of funds spent in the name of Coronavirus in Uganda, Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Health Dr. Diana Atwine said that the ministry required an additional shs 171 bn to purchase more test kits.

Aceng said that the country is currently at stage three of the Coronavirus pandemic with different clusters being seen in the communities.

This, according to Aceng, calls for massive testing and vigilance if Uganda is to contain the virus.