The Ministry of Health together with World Health Organization (WHO) has trained Chiefs of the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF) and top officials from the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs about Coronavirus (COVID-19) at Mbuya hill.
The Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Gen. David Muhoozi in his remarks lauded the Ministry of Health for coming in at a very crucial time to work with the UPDF on how to combat the Pandemic. “We are grateful for the opportunity to work with you in fighting “COVID 19.” He said.
He called upon the officers to seek the right information about COVID-19 and desist from dwelling on rumors circulating on social media which may lead to unnecessary tension.
Gen. Muhoozi asked the Ministry of Health to translate the information on the flyers about COVID-19 into various local languages in order to allow many people access and be able to understand it.
The CDF said that UPDF as an institution is ready to observe the President’s directives and enforce them. “We will soon convene meetings with commanders and draw out a strategy on how to prevent the pandemic” Gen. Muhoozi said.
He also directed the Deputy Chief of Defence Forces Lt. Gen. Wilson Mbasu Mbadi to create an enforcement team to work with the Ministry of Health in fighting COVID-19.
Dr. Issa Makumbi from the Public Health Emergency Operations Centre Ministry of Health applauded the CDF for giving the ministry and his team an opportunity to train the soldiers about the disease as this will help equip the UPDF medics to further train other soldiers in other Units.
Dr. Makumbi highlighted the need to intensify the preventive measures among the soldiers since they work in a group or often get into contact.
He asked everyone to comply with the presidential directive because it is for their own good in order to prevent the spread of the pandemic. ‘If we follow the Presidential guidelines, we shall remain an Island” Dr. Makumbi said.
He further asked the CDF to involve the soldiers in the fight against (COVID-19) by deploying them to work with the Ministry of Health in manning the border points and other routes that may bring in foreigners illegally to stop people coming in with the Virus.
He cautioned the Chiefs about wearing of masks saying that there are three categories of people supposed to wear masks namely the doctor who is nursing the affected person, the sick person and the caretaker. “Apart from the above category, no other person is supposed to wear masks” Dr. Makumbi said.
