By Joel Nsibirwa
The Ministry of Health will commence distribution of mosquito nets to food markets in Kampala during the 42 days lockdown, effective Wednesday.
Senior Public Relations Officer at the Ministry of Health, Emmanuel Ainebyoona confirmed the development and said they will start with Nakasero Market.
“The Ministry of Health will start distributing Mosquito nets to traders in Markets around Kampala tomorrow, Wednesday starting with Nakasero market at 9:30am” Ainebyoona tweeted.
The development is on backdrop of President Museveni’s directive to all food market vendors to stay in their working places during the lockdown to curb the spread of COVID-19.
Museveni on Friday announced measures to contain the second wave of the deadly Coronavirus which included 42-days ban on large gatherings, public transport among others.
The president however allowed food markets to operate and advised vendors to revert to his directive of March 2020 to stay in their places of work to avoid spreading the virus.
While delivering his speech, the President said the vendors would be provided with bed nets by KCCA to help shield them from mosquitoes.
“Food market vendors should revert to the position of March 2020 and stay at their places of work. The ministry of health should give them free bed nets so that they are not bitten by mosquitoes but when you sleep do not be together because we have found in the army that that causes infections,” Museveni said.
The country continues to grapple with the second wave of COVID-19 which has so far claimed lives of 680 Ugandans. As of 19th June 2021, Uganda confirmed 1,136 new COVID-19 cases bringing the total number of accumulated cases to 72, 679 people.
