The Community Agenda

By Umar Weswala:   Baby Elijah with mum (R). on the extreme left in the UNFPA  Deputy Country Representative in Uganda Mr. Dan Alemu While we can't know for sure who was the eight billionth person and where he/she was born, there is a high possibility that the baby was born in one of the countries with a high fertility rate. The symbolic selection for Uganda is that of Elijah, a baby born on 15th November 2022 in the China Uganda Friendship Hospital in Kampala. Baby Alijah was welcomed by officials from UNFPA, the Ministry of Health, the National Population Council and members of Parliament among others during the commemoration of the Day of 8 billion held on the day he was born and at the facility where he was born. The story behind Elijah’s birth today is for sure a story of triumph despite challenges that come with a growing population. It is a reminder to Ugandans that we are part of the global population and whatever we do or fail to do will have impact at a global level...

By Namale Hajara Shahista File Photo The Ministry of Education and Sports canceled all school visitation days and leavers parties last month on 28th October 2022 as students sit their PLE and UACE Uganda national end-of -year exams until the end of the current school term. “As you are aware, the country is experiencing an outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease. Given that some positive cases have now been confirmed among learners from families of known contacts, it is necessary to strengthen the existing infection prevention measures at school level,” said Education official Ismael Mulindwa in a circular to all schools, from the office of the ministry’s Permanent Secretary. This circular means even planned Nursery School Graduation Ceremonies and PTA General Meetings planned by parents, teachers and pupils in schools will not take place this year. In this regard some parents we managed to talk to have not welcomed the move by the ministry saying there was no need for suspending childr...

By Namale Hajara The government of Uganda has extended the lockdown in the Districts of Kassanda and Mubende by 21 days to continue the fight against the spread of Ebola. In a national address she delivered on the pandemic on behalf of the President, Health Minister Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng, explained that the move was intended to further minimize the spread of this disease within these two most affected Districts. This, she argued would protect the rest of the country from further exposure. But Dr. Aceng has reassured the nation that the government is doing everything to end the pandemic. Since the health ministry first declared an Ebola outbreak in the central district of Mubende, the disease has since found its way into Kampala and is threatening other districts if not contained. ‘I want to reassure the country that the government is doing all that is possible to control the outbreak therefore. There is no need for anxiety and panic” she said adding that, “the health workers too ...