President Museveni. Courtesy Photo
Uganda’s President Yoweri Kaguta Tibuhaburwa Museveni is expected to address the nation on the recently confirmed outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).
As of September 25, cumulative Ebola cases stood at 36, with 18 confirmed and 18 probable cases.
Cumulative deaths stood at 23, including five confirmed deaths and 18 probable deaths.
Active cases on admission stood at 35.
Most of the cases have been reported in Mubende District.
A few cases have also been reported in the districts of Kyegegwa and Kassanda.
No cases have been confirmed in the capital Kampala as yet, the country’s Ministry of Health said on September 25.
Speaking to community leaders and members of the Ebola Virus Disease Taskforce at St Joseph Technical Institute Playground in Mubende at the weekend, Health Minister Dr Jane Ruth Aceng seemed to suggest that there would be no lockdown in Mubende or Uganda at large over the new Ebola outbreak.
Minister Aceng told the taskforce members that markets, schools, and shops will remain open and that parents and guardians should keep sending their children to school.
The minister called on parents and locals to stay vigilant and to work with village health teams and the taskforce to report any suspected cases of Ebola for handling by health emergency teams.
But on Monday, former presidential candidate and National Economic Empowerment Dialogue (Need) principal Joseph Kiiza Kabuleta told reporters at his weekly press conference in Bugolobi in Kampala that some officials at the Ministry of Health were pushing for a lockdown so that they can enjoy “the sweet nectar of dictatorship” that comes with shutdowns.
Kabuleta expressed his disdain for lockdowns, saying a number of people had died due to preventable causes because of the lockdowns in 2020 and 2021.
Now, it has emerged that President Yoweri Museveni will make an official announcement on whether to lock down Mubende District and or the whole country or not to lock down but intensify surveillance efforts.
According to a statement attributed to the Presidential Press Unit (PPU), Gen Museveni will address Ugandans on the Ebola outbreak tomorrow.
“The Presidential Press Unit – PPU wishes to inform the general public that HE the President of the Republic of Uganda and Commander-in-Chief of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces Gen (Rtd) Yoweri Kaguta Museveni will address the nation on the outbreak of Ebola and other important national issues this Wednesday, September 28, 2022 starting at 8:00pm,” read the statement in part.
“The national address will be live on all radio and TV stations. Accordingly, the Uganda Communications Commission is hereby called upon to communicate to all the media houses across the country to air this address.”
Uganda confirmed the outbreak of Ebola last week. (Read Story Here).
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