Ministry of Health to Decentralise COVID-19 Cases


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KIU, Main Campus - As the country registers confirmed cases up-country, the Ministry of Health has decentralised the management of COVID-19 cases in each district.


The Minister of Health, Dr. Ruth Aceng, while addressing the nation on 2nd April 2020 on the current status of COVID-19 in Uganda, said that this system will help stop people travelling to Kampala/Entebbe for screening, testing, and treatment.


According to Dr. Aceng, people with COVID-19 symptoms will be advised to stay in their homes until a team from the district health office arrives to assess them and take their samples if necessary. The suspected cases will be advised to remain in self-quarantine until the laboratory results return.


"The district rapid response team using a motorcycle will collect samples and send them to Entebbe Uganda Virus Research Institute through the Ministry of Health hub system. Results will be returned to the districts within 48 hours depending on the proximity of the district from Kampala," Dr. Aceng said.


She added that the districts have a surveillance focal person and a laboratory focal person to whom alerts will be directed by the village health team or individuals. 


"The surveillance focal person investigates the alert and if it meets the case definition, samples will be removed by request. A nose and throat swab sample is collected from an individual by a laboratory specialist.


"It will later be transported to a hub for special packaging, and later sent to the Uganda Virus Research Institute either by MOH vehicles or Posta Bus for further investigations.These results will then be communicated back through an online system or phone," she explained.


The districts that have so far registered confirmed cases include Masaka(3), Hoima(2), Adjumani(1), Iganga(1). All these cases have not been clear on whether contraction of the Coronavirus was through on-going secondary active transmissions.


Uganda as of date, has registered 45 cases of COVID-19; majority being travellers returning from the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom, Germany, USA, Afghanistan, and China.


Uganda has not registered any deaths yet, neither have they registered any recoveries.


The Ministry of Health continues to encourage the public to follow the safety precautions so as to contain the further spread of the Coronavirus.