By Mbaziira Willy
The State Minister for Primary Health Care in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Joyce Moriku Kaducu has announced that government will take full responsibility in treating all ‘Bobi Wine riots’ victims.
Riots broke out in Kampala and several other urban towns across the country on Wednesday and security forces have since fired live bullets and teargas to contain the situation, killing 16 and injuring several.
Addressing journalists at the Mulago National Referral Hospital on Thursday, Dr. Kaducu said no riot victim should pay for anything because government had taken charge.
“The cost of treatment is free. As a government, we want to make this categorically clear and loud, no patient is going to pay for any medication, no patient should pay for any surgery appliances, no patient is going to pay for any investigation. The government has taken the responsibility,” Dr. Kaducu said.
The Homeland Newspaper understands that a special ward has also been reserved to attend to the wounded at the newly refurbished Mulago National Referral Hospital
On Thursday, Mulago alone had received at least 60 victims of the riots, with 40 nursing bullet wounds while others were suffocated or hit by teargas canisters.
Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Patrick Onyango said that at least 16 Ugandans had succumbed to stray bullet wounds by Thursday. However, it is expected the toll of the dead will rise as more facts emerge.
