Residents and local leaders in Busiisi Division, Hoima municipality, have rejected the establishment of the Ebola isolation centre in their area.
Last week, Hoima district Ebola task force officials resolved to gazette the Ebola isolation site at Kihukya Health Centre Two in Busiisi Division as an alert measure following the disease outbreak in the neighboring Kibaale district. At least 16 people have died since the disease outbreak almost a month ago.
But the area local leaders and residents now want the facility relocated elsewhere. Lawrence Atekereza, a local resident wonders why the facility was moved away from a referral hospital to a mere Health Centre Two.
Atekereza argues that establishing such a facility in an ill-equipped health centre and more so in the village not only exposes other patients to the disease but also the neighboring communities.
He demands that the facility be relocated to Hoima regional referral hospital. On Saturday evening, police deployed at the health centre after reports leaked that angry residents were planning to storm the facility to demand for the Ebola isolation unit’s relocation.
The residents have got backing from the Busiisi Division LC3 Chairman Kadir Kirungi, who wonders why such a sensitive facility would be put in the area without consulting the local leadership.
He says his office was not consulted and vows not to allow the Ebola isolation unit in his area.
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But George Tinkamanyire Bagonza, the Hoima district LC5 Chairman and a member of the district Ebola taskforce, says the decision taken by the taskforce cannot be reversed.
Bagonza maintains that Kihukya health centre belongs to government which has a right to do any of its projects there without question.
Meanwhile police has maintained its presence at the health centre to guard against the planned protest. Hoima district police commander Augustine Kasangaki says his men will remain in area until he deems it safe for them to leave.
There is virtually nothing new at Kihukya health centre two, other than just a pronouncement on Friday that it had been selected to host the Ebola patients just in case of the disease outbreak in Hoima. Kihukya health centre is located about 3 kilometers away from Hoima town.
