COVID-19: Yumbe District Taskforce receives Quarantine Shelters worth UGX65M from NGO

Yumbe – Refugee Council (NRC) has raised about UGX65.7 millions quarantine shelters in Yumbe at a time the District runs short of accommodation for COVID-19 pandemic suspects.

In two minutes handover speech of the six Iglo (Eskimo’s house) like shelters to Yumbe COVID-19 taskforce on Monday, Ms. Grazia Paolen, NRC area manager for West Nile region says the shelters costing about USD. 18000 in total would be used to accommodate female quarantine clients.

She adds that the shelters could as well house children, as it was meant in the funding proposal but not for men.

“This six family shelters with capacity of 12 people will be used for females and children, in the quarantine”

Describing it as a emergency response, Ms. Grazia promises to continue lobbying for more support to other health facilities in the district.

” This is how we can work together. This is how we can put our hands together and push things forward. This is just for a start and we see. We are waiting for more fundings to expand our interventions to other Health centres in Yumbe district” the NRC West Nile region manager promises.

The shelters fitted with lightning system with provision for charging electronics, has carrying capacity of two people each.

Yumbe district Health Officer, Dr. Yayi Alfred notes that the structures raised by NRC comes at a time the district runs out of accomodation.

“As we speak now, we don’t have where to take clients for quarantine. Bidibidi, Bangatuti, Yangani and Bolomoni in refugee settlements are all filled up to capacity” the district health officer explains.

Dr. Yayi suggests immediate use of the NRC constructed structures to bail the district out of crises.

“If all goes well, we indented from tomorrow, we should start bringing clients here” Dr. Yayi proposes.

Appreciating development partners for their support, Mr. Michael Nabugere, camp commandant for Bidibidi settlement says the facility was over due in relation to the high demand.

“Am appreciative of the supporting partners. This Quarantine centre would have started working as soon as yesterday. As of now, we don’t have where to keep alerts. We have four suspected cases waiting in the settlement” the camp commandant reveals.

Mr. Nabugere observes that ongoing activities as the starting point in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic.

“In my opinion, the battle is just starting. We still need a lot of support from our partners. NRC, thanks for the quick response but we still call for more. It’s not yet over” the camp commandant appeals.

Relieved and excited was Yumbe Resident District Commissioner, Andama Richard upon whose shoulders, activities of the taskforce exert the heaviest burdens.

“I want to take the honour to appreciate this development at Goboro. This is a dream come true” the RDC expresses.

He reveals that the district COVID-19 taskforce had to go to the drawing board on realising that Lokopio the first quarantine centre was getting to capacity.

Recognising the NRC contribution for the structures, the RDC also marvels the humility and open handedness of the community for offering their land be used for construction of quarantine centre.

Yumbe district has 84 COVID-19 clients for quarantine at Lokopio while undisclosed statistics in Bidibidi health centre III,
Bangatuti health centre III, Yangani health centre III and Bolomoni health centre III, all in refugee settlements.

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