The management of National Water and Sewerage corporation has suspended the disconnection of water from its customers after public outcry that lack of essential services like supply of clean water would put the public at high risk of contracting the deadly COVID 19 disease.
According to the NWSC Managing Director, Dr. Eng. Silver Mugisha a decision was made to suspend all disconnections to ensure the provision of clean water in the fight against the COVID 19 pandemic. He said the suspension would stand for as long as the country was still faced with the threat of the COVID -19 pandemic.
Dr. Mugisha , however , called upon Ugandans to continue paying their bills to enable the NWSC sustain its service delivery to all those in need . while declaring a nationwide curfew on Tuesday, March 31,2020, President Yoweri Museveni named NWSC as one of the essential services that must remain operational during the lockdown to ensure the public has clean running water.
Other essential services that are operating include petrol stations, banks , garbage collection companies , KCCA (Kampala City Council Authority) , Uganda Revenue Authority (URA),Uganda National Road Authority (UNRA)among others.
While addressing the nation today, the Minister of Health Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng underscored the importance of the continuous supply of clean water to enable Ugandans to wash their hands regularly -to stem off the spread of the virus. Backed by a team of high profile Ugandan medical scientists, epidemiologists and researchers who are at the frontline in the government’s response to the pandemic- that included Prof Rhoda Wanyeze Dean Makerere SPH, Prof. Ponsiano Kalebu, Director UVRI, Entebbe, Prof. Pauline Byakika, Epidemiologist and Assoc Prof. Internal Medicine, Mak CHS and Col. Dr. Henry K. Bossa UPDF medical Services-Dr Aceng stated:“ People should remain responsible for their lives by routine washing of hands and physical distancing. Let us not stretch our health system by contracting the virus because of failing to strictly adhere to the guidelines set up by the government .”
Dr. Bossa said that so far the country was still ahead of the mass spread of the pandemic through contact tracing of people who come into contact with infected persons who are isolated and tested to disrupt the chain of transmission.
At least 44 COVID 19 cases have been confirmed in Uganda out of the 523 samples run so far. There are 1,015 people who are still under institutional quarantine and another 141 under self-quarantine while 2661 have completed the 14 days follow up. So far there is no reported COVID 19 related death in Uganda.
Dr. Mugisha said that Ugandans should not take advantage of the pandemic not to pay for their water bills because the resources are needed to keep the corporation open and running.
