The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Ministry of Health has recommended a temporary closure of border markets in Ebola High-risk districts.
Jacob Ampaire, a Public Relations Officer with the Ministry of Health told journalists in Arua yesterday that all markets along Uganda border with the Democratic Republic of Congo have been recommended for a temporary closure in order to control the movement of people from one country to the other.
Also banned, for the time being, are social gatherings and Church meetings. The decision was taken after the confirmation of three Ebola cases in Bwera, Kasese district, two days ago. The three were members of the same family, who had travelled to the Democratic Republic of Congo early this month.
The first victim, a young boy aged five fell ill after visiting DRC’s Mabalako Health Zone to attend the burial of his grandfather, a confirmed Ebola-sufferer, who died in the community on 1 June. The boy and his family then returned to Uganda through the Bwera border on Monday, where relatives sought help at Kagando hospital for symptoms including vomiting and bloody diarrhoea. Later, Health workers confirmed that it was a case of Ebola. He died on Wednesday morning.
Ampaire observed that border markets attract hundreds of people from all directions and pose a greater risk of spreading Ebola.
However, in West Nile Border markets like Kampala in Logiri Sub County, Odramacaku in Ayivuni Sub-county have continued to operate normally with little or no Ebola preventive measure in place.
But Sam Wadri Nyakua, the LCV chairman told URN that the suggestion for the temporary closure is welcome since Ebola is a matter of life and death. He adds that even if the district loses revenue from the two markets, it’s the living people who pay taxes not the dead ones.
Arua district collects over 15 million Shillings every month from Kampala market and over 10 million Shillings from Odramacaku with over 1,000 people registered each market day. Majority of the people come from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Currently, Pakwach district has been rated an Ebola high-risk district in W. Nile while Nebbi, Zombo, Arua, Maracha, Koboko, Yumbe, Moyo, Adjumani, Lamwo and Kabale are being ranked moderate Ebola risk districts.
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