Health Ministry lifts lockdown in Gulu district

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Ministry of Health and the National COVID-19 Taskforce have lifted the coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdown in Gulu district.

A 14-day lockdown had been imposed on Gulu after a pronouncement by President Yoweri Museveni to maintain restrictions on areas that had evidence of community transmissions of the virus. At the time, there were 43 active cases of COVID-19 undergoing treatment at Gulu Regional Referral Hospital.

Cumulatively, Gulu district had treated and discharged 75 COVID-19 patients, a number which has since increased to 93. When the new lockdown was announced, police and military teams working on the orders of the Resident District Commissioner Santos Okot Lapolo enforced travel restrictions blocking private and public vehicles from entering or leaving Gulu district.

But the COVID-19 task force requested the National Taskforce to review the decision. Earlier the Minister of Health Dr Jane Ruth Aceng said that a review of the request and decision would be taken after June, 29.

Lapolo, who is also the District COVID-19 task force told URN on Wednesday morning that the lockdown has been lifted effective today in line with a communication from the Health Minister Dr Ruth Jane Aceng. But he added that travels in and out of the district will commence under strict adherence to the Health Ministry`s guidelines.

Gulu district chairperson Martin Ojara Mapenduzi welcomed the decision. He explained that the Health Ministry had earlier said that they were tracing contacts of a man who tested positive for COVID-19 from among the community.

Gilbert Olanya, the Acholi Parliamentary Group General Secretary applauded the Health Ministry for lifting the lockdown after a a thorough examination of the situation in Gulu.

On Tuesday, Gulu district also received a total of 258,234 face masks from the Ministry of Health.

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