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Pader, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Pader District COVID-19 task force remains undecided on where to relocate COVID-19 patients currently occupying Kilak Corner Technical institute.
At least 90 students, among them 83 males and seven females all in their final year are expected to resume classes at Corner Kilak Technical institute in Pader Sub County when school reopens on October 15th.
But the district is currently still stuck with 29 COVID-19 patients at the school dormitory which was turned into isolation center a month ago, posing concerns on whether learners will resume classes.
Dr Alex Layoo, the Pader District Health Officer says that they still don’t have any alternative facility to relocate the patients.
Dr Layoo says the district is financially incapacitated to create an emergency quarantine and isolation center citing the alternative treatment center at Gulu Regional Referral Hospital is currently out of space.
He notes that the COVID-19-19 taskforce is yet making consultations with the Ministry of Health and other relevant stakeholders on a better position to manage the situation without releasing the patients into the community.
“We are consulting over that, we are aware of the fact the most schools are reopening on October 15th, we shall come out with a better position. We don’t want to make bad decisions of sending these patients into the community in a rush because schools are reopening,” Says Dr Layoo.
Dr Layoo, however, says the health department is fully committed to disinfecting the learning institution once the patients are relocated.
Benedict Ewoku Opio, Principal of Kilak Corner Technical Institute, says that they are concerned over the late reopening of the school since the district hasn’t yet found alternative isolation center.
Opio notes that the school dormitory should have been disinfected by now and been free of any COVID-19 patients and suspects for two weeks before the students resume classes on October 15th.
Francis Olwoch, the acting district Education Officer acknowledged delays in relocating the patients to pave way for a safe learning environment.
He, however, notes that they are working hard to ensure the place is evacuated and disinfected before schools open.
Pader district witnessed a spike in COVID-19 cases hitting 250 cases in the past two and half weeks alone, out of which 200 cases were registered among casual labourers at Achwa Hydro Power Dam construction site in Agagura sub-county.
The District Covid-19 taskforce on the advice of the Ministry of Health and World Health Organization experts designated an isolation center at the construction site and cordoned it off for public access.
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