UPC wants international bodies probed over direct funding to districts

The Uganda Peoples’ Congress (UPC) has asked government to investigate circumstances under which the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the World Bank are bypassing the Ministry of Health and directly remitting money to districts.

The money is meant to do massive vaccination of school going children aged between 12 and 17 against the deadly COVID-19 and Ebola viral disease management in Uganda.

“We have heard from the Ministry of Health that they no longer receive money directly from the World Health Organisation and World Bank to fight COVID19 and Ebola but these international bodies instead bypass the ministry straight to the local governments and the District Medical Officers for them to set up medical camps and vaccination centres without the government knowledge,” UPC's Head of Media and Communications Faizo Muzeyi said on Wednesday.

Muzeyi added that the international bodies have no right to bypass the Ugandan government through the Ministry of Health in the guise of fighting Ebola or even engaging in COVID 19 vaccination exercise in rural areas without the approval of the government because Uganda is a sovereign state on her own.

“World Health Organisation and World Bank have no jurisdiction with districts in Uganda and they are supposed to deal with the government ministry which has the jurisdiction over such districts in the fight against any disease outbreaks or any other development partnerships,” he added.

“They cannot get money and take it straight to the local government. There is no such jurisdiction for international bodies to bypass the government to extend any help to the population because it is absolutely wrong,” Muzeyi emphasized.

Muzeyi appeals to the public as the country recovers from the effects of COVID19 to remain vigilant during the country’s fight against Ebola outbreak especially in the border districts of Mubende, Hoima, Kabale, Kasese, Bundibugyo, Arua and Rukungiri among others.

“UPC is calling upon the government to reactivate initiatives undertaken before in the fight against cholera, COVID19, floods, landslides and Ebola itself,” he added.

He however called on the government to facilitate Ebola frontline medical teams during this time of full alertness in coordinating with the general public to wipe Ebola out of Uganda.

“Ebola disease needs full alertness and cooperation from the society with respect to preventive measures and recommended treatment that ought to be availed on time by the health workers or even the general public.”

Since the Ebola outbreak was reported in Uganda on September 20 this year, the country has so far registered 31 cases and 19 deaths as of September 24, 2022.

UPC asked the government to ensure a consistent supply of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) gears in all health facilities in the country to contain the deadly virus.

Dr. Annet Kisakye, immunisation officer at the WHO Uganda country office revealed to New Vision that such vigorous interventions of reaching out to the district medical teams are largely aimed at improving activities that promote safe access to immunization without passing through red-tape bureaucracies and corruption in the Ministry of Health.

She refuted claims that they have been wiring money directly to the accounts of local government’s health administration at the districts saying that they have never failed to work with the government of Uganda in any way.

“Currently, I want to call upon the population to report all signs and symptoms of Ebola, including sudden onset of fever, headache, intense body weakness, muscle pain, sore throat, vomiting, bloody diarrhea or urine, and bleeding from a body opening for a quick response,” Kisakye revealed.

In addition, Ebola Treatment Units (ETUs) have been constructed in which the trained health workers can take care of patients.

“The centres are in Kasese (Bwera), Bundibugyo, Wakiso (Entebbe), Kabarole, Kabarole, Kikuube and Ntoroko districts. Two additional ETUs are under construction in Kanungu district and Naguru in Kampala city.  Isolation units have also been established in Arua, Gulu and Mbarara districts,” she added. 

"We have supported the Ministry of Health to expedite the rollout of the vaccines to eligible unvaccinated persons, to ensure completion of primary vaccination series of partially vaccinated persons aged 18 years and above including 12 to 17-year-old with chronic diseases, and providing booster doses to high-risk eligible populations."

With financial support from the Governments of Ireland and Norway, the World Health Organization (WHO), supported the first and second rounds of the Accelerated Mass Vaccination Campaign (AMVC) in selected regions aimed at reducing severe COVID-19 illnesses and death, thus reducing pressure on the health system through increased vaccine coverage.

Since the confirmation of the first case of COVID-19 in Uganda in March 2020, WHO, in collaboration with many partners, has continued to provide technical and financial support to improve the country's response to the COVID-19 outbreak, including support for the development of the national COVID-19 response plans, the national vaccine deployment plan, and the resurgence and recovery plan.

WHO support has also enabled the development of the National Response Plan and the activation of District Task Forces (DTFs) in 10 high-risk districts, including Mubende, Sembabule, Kyankwanzi, Kampala, Mityana, Kyegegwa, Gomba, Kiboga, Kassanda, Kazo, Kakumiro, and Kibaale, She added.