The swine flu screening desk at Entebbe International Airport has been closed.
Dr. William Mbabazi, Disease Surveillance and Response Officer for the World Health Organization, says there was no rationale in keeping the desk open. He says there haven't been any new swine flu cases in Uganda in the past few weeks and with no additional money to pay medical staff, the desk had to be closed.
227 cases of H1N1, the official name for swine flu, have been recorded in Uganda. The strain of the flu is much milder than that seen in other countries and so there have been no deaths from the disease.
Monday Busuulwa, Medical Epidemiologist at the African Epidemiology Network, says funding for anti-swine flu programs has been redirected to training staff in disease surveillance. He says training is taking place in Mbale, Kotido, Jinja, Wakiso, Moroto, Mukono, Busia, Kaabong, Tororo, Yumbe, Arua, Lira and Abim.
