KAMPALA– Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng Acero says government took long to declare the MPOX because they didn’t want to scare the population since the country had just experienced trauma of Ebola and COVID-19.
The Minister of Health Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng Acero has been presenting a statement on the status of the Monkey pox situation in Uganda during a plenary session chaired by the Rt. Hon. Deputy Speaker Thomas Bangirana Tayebwa.
Cue in………….Aceng explains
She says Mpox transmission in Eastern DRC is expanding rapidly with a new epicenter in North Kivu that is adjacent to Uganda. This happens amidst our regular cross-border human interactions between our two countries for trade, culture and social reasons.
She says long distance truck drivers working in regions in the interconnected routes and resting areas within East Africa and soldiers in the DRC are among the most at risk and act as a quick way of transmitting the virus.
She says the Crowded settings especially schools and prisons increase the risk of fast spread if there is a confirmed case adding that Uganda remains high given the long incubation period of 7 to 14 days.
Cue in………..Aceng on Mpox
Kira Municipality MP, Hon. Ssemujju Nganda calls for screening at the border points as a way of preventing the spread of the Mpox. He wonders whether the Govt has the capacity to test everyone returning and entering from Congo so that we control the spread of this disease.
He also wanted to know what shs700Bn invested in the ministry of science and Technology to manufacture vaccines. What it has done so far since it was being made to acquire vaccines to prevent COVID-19.
Cue in…………..Nganda on virus
Mukono Municipality MP, Betty Nambooze says there is need to build a culture of not shaking hands & hugging as these are the noted ways of spreading viruses, she says it seems handwashing is one sure of stopping the spread of viruses & we need to have a policy on this.
Cue in…………..Nambooze on virus
