The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MTN Uganda, a Telecom service provider, Wim Vanhelleputte has said that the company has set aside Shs500 million in regards to fighting the outbreak and spread of the Coronavirus.
Currently Uganda has no confirmed case of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) since the outbreak in China’s Wuhan City in Hubei Province in December last year. The virus is averred to have claimed over 5000 lives with over 200,000 people infected globally out of whom 67,000 have recovered.
He applauded President Kaguta Museveni and his government for the Swift response they have given so far in the preventive fight against Coronavirus.
“MTN is also complementing government’s sensitization drive by availing Shs 500 million in cash and free media channel space (radio, TV, social media, SMS, call centre IVR platform) to promote the Ministry of Health’s sensitization messages.” Mr Wim said earlier today.
“Starting this afternoon via our SMS channels, we shall relay messages from the Ministry of Health on how to prevent the spread of Coronavirus but also, symptoms to look out for,” Wim said
He said for 30-days, customers can send up to Shs30,000- every day to other MTN Mobile money customers free of charge. The offer is meant to reduce the risk of transmission by avoiding the physical exchange of currency notes.
