Kampala, Uganda
After more than a year of COVID-19 battering the world, the end of the pandemic seems no-where in sight. At least that is what the resurgence of the disease in many countries seems to suggest. As such, many Christian missionaries and aid organisations in Uganda have been forced to revise workplans to suit the new normal within their operations.
Since its creation in 2001, Children in Need (CHIN), a community-based organisation located in Mukono district, central Uganda, has provided medication and education to hundreds of children and youth with disabilities within its neighbourhood.
The emergence of COVID-19, however, has conspired to cripple most of the services CHIN provides, especially during the Ugandan Government s lockdown, which took place from March to June, 2020, in a bid to reduce the spread of the coronavirus.
Daily Monitor
Thursday May 13 2021
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Rubirizi District locals have decried the continued poor services at Rugazi Health Centre IV.
The district, which was carved out of Bushenyi in 2010, has one health centre IV in Bunyaruguru County, which serves about 140,000 people.
“I brought here my son who was suffering from malaria two days ago but they told me that there were no drugs and they advised me to buy them from clinics before they could treat my son,” Mr Ismail Kanzara, a resident, said on Monday.
“After buying drugs for my son’s treatment, I was left with no money but health workers wanted money to treat him so I decided to give them my wife’s national identity card so that they can treat my son as I look for money,” Mr Kanzara said.
Daily Monitor
Monday May 10 2021
Summary
60% Effect on wetlands: About 60 per cent of wetlands in the district have been encroached.
Local leaders say there is need for the district to enact by-laws that will protect the environment.
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Environmental experts and local leaders in Butaleja District have blamed the re-occurrence of floods to massive environmental degradation and lack of a political will to mitigate the effects of such disasters.
The experts say swamps and river banks of Manafwa and Nakwasi have been mismanaged by the locals due to poor agricultural methods.
They also blame the floods on failure by the government to erect embankments on River Manafwa and River Nakwasi and restore flood early warning systems.
Daily Monitor
Monday May 10 2021
Summary
According to a survey, which was conducted by Butaleja District health office in all health centres in different sub-counties, a total of 2,601 learners were impregnated in 2019 while 2,664 were affected in 2020.
40 Victims: The number of teenagers who became pregnant in 2020 and were chased away by their parents.
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Cases of parents chasing away teenage pregnant girls from their homes in Butaleja District are rampant, especially in the rural communities, Daily Monitor has established.
According to the district officials, in 2019, more than 30 cases were registered while in 2020, more than 40 cases were recorded.
The officials, however, maintain that the majority of the cases are not reported due to fear of victimisation.
Four Kenyan long-distance cargo truck drivers and two turn-men have reportedly been kidnapped by unknown gunmen at Terekeka town in South Sudan, media reports in Uganda indicate.
The town is located on the Western bank of the Nile, 53 miles North of the capital Juba, the Daily Monitor adds.
It is said the kidnappers are demanding 15 million South Sudan pounds in exchange for the freedom of the captives.
Besides the Kenyans, a Ugandan truck driver identified as Vincent Mulika, alias Kamanda, is battling for his life at Juba Referral Hospital after he was allegedly beaten into coma by military and immigration officials in South Sudan.