Uganda’s National Security Council has set up an Inter-Agency Joint Taskforce (JTF) at the National and Regional level to support Ministry of Health (MOH) in combatting the deadly CoronaVirus outbreak.
The JTF is led by the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces’ Deputy Chief of Defence Forces, Lt Gen Wilson Mbasu Mbadi, and comprises of officers from the UPDF, Uganda Police Force (UPF), and Uganda Prisons services (UPS), National Joint Intelligence Committee, Immigrations and Customs.
Membership has also been extended to National Water and Sewerage Corporation, UMEME and KCCA.
At operational level, the JTF is led by the Chief of Staff Land Forces, Maj General Leopold Kyanda and it is stationed at the Police Joint Operation Center in Naguru. The JTF coordinates direct support from the Agencies to the MOH; E.g. the UPDF and UPF are attaching 240 medical personnel to support the MOH, 40 of who are already deployed at Entebbe Airport and Mulago Hospital.
It further monitors and ensures compliance on the measures issued by the President and Commander-In Chief and the Ministry of Health on prevention and control of the spread of CoronaVirus.
The Public is informed that the Security Forces have already deployed to ensure observance of; mandatory quarantine, MOH guidelines at non-agricultural workplaces and when using public transport. The Forces are further ensuring compliance with the closure of; educational institutions, merry making venues, monthly markets and national borders. And, banning of; religious gatherings, political or cultural gatherings, wedding gatherings of more than 10 people and mass funeral gatherings.
In a statement released by Lt Col Deo Akiiki the Deputy Spokesperson UPDF and police spokesperson Fred Enanga, it is indicates that the taskforce appreciates the cooperation so far showed by majority of the people in Uganda in ensuring compliance with the safety measures issued to secure the country from the COVID19 threat.
The taskforce monitors the security situation to avert possible opportunistic criminal cases and ensures uninterrupted provision of vital services. “We appeal to the Public to pass vital security related information and non-compliance cases to the nearest Police or UPDF establishments. The JFT can also be reached on 0800300100 (TollFree), +256713250391, +256753997665 and +256714012734.
The Public is further informed that the JTF can also offer additional evacuation support to the MOH for COVID19 suspected cases. In addition to the MOH emergency lines, the Public can also contact the JTF to report/inform on suspected COVID 19 cases for immediate evacuation to MOH designated treatment facilities. The JTF Evacuation contacts are; +256772831993, +256772510522 and +256772354011.
