By Kabuye Ronald
Nakaseke central Member of Parliament Hon. Allan Mayanja Sebunya on Thursday expressed concern over the lack of covid 19 vaccines in his constituency and in most of the upcountry areas.
Hon. Mayanja Sebunya told parliament that whereas government is telling people to go for vaccines, they are not available in his area. “I have mobilized the people to go for vaccination but when they go there they are instead told that the vaccines are not available.”
Hon. Mayanja’ submission followed the presentation of the statement by the minister of health Hon. Jane Ruth Aceng to parliament concerning the status of Uganda’s preparedness to combat the threat of the new Covid 19 variant “Omicron”.
Mayanja said the problem is not only in Nakaseke central but the entire district and also other districts like Luwero, Mubende, Kasanda and Mityana.
The same concern was also raised by other members of parliament who included Hon. Lukyamuzi Kalwanga of Busujju County, Hon. Sarah Opendi of Tororo districts.
Mayanja also questioned why Nakaseke district is always neglected in government program yet it was the most affected by the gorilla war that brought the sitting government in power. He asserts that their roads, schools, health centers are terrible, adding that it further disheartens more that even the Covid 19 vaccines are not available in the government health centres that include health Centre III of Kikamulo, Wakyato, Butalangu among others.
He thus requested that government takes the medical services to the ground as opposed to giving false reports to parliament and country yet the situation is different since resources are either misused or swindled by the concerned authorities.
Jane Ruth Aceng told parliament that government continues to prioritize Covid 19 vaccination as a strategic intervention to control the pandemic including the effects posed by the new variant. Adding that to date the country has received 17doses of Covid 19 vaccines.
She also revealed that government has intensified Covid 19 testing at all points of entry and is ensuring incoming travelers who test positive undergo isolation to prevent the importation of the omicron variant.
Hon. Batuwa Timothy, the shadow minister for health suggested that in addition to intensifying testing at entry point, it should develop the red list of the countries where the variant is.Omicron was first identified by scientists in South Africa, and subsequently reported to the World Health Organisation on November 24. It has so far been reported in the United States of America, Europe, China among others.
