Gulu | The Uganda Peoples’ Defense Forces’ 4 Infantry Division Commander, Major General Felix Busizoori, met with cattle traders from the Acholi, Lango, and West Nile sub-regions.
He discussed with them measures to prevent the spread of Ebola while ensuring the orderly regulation of livestock trade.
The meeting, held at the 4 Infantry Division Headquarters in Gulu City, brought together traders who conduct livestock business across the border into the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Cross-border livestock trade was suspended following the Ebola outbreak in the DRC as part of efforts to prevent the disease from spreading into Uganda.
Addressing the traders, Maj Gen Busizoori said that the national task force, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, had developed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to contain the Ebola outbreak in Uganda.
He explained that these measures will include the temporary closure of Uganda’s border with the DRC and the suspension of livestock markets located near the border of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
He further revealed that the government, through the Ministry of Health, had established an Ebola treatment Centre in Aru, DRC, with support and protection provided by the Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF).
The facility is intended to ensure Ebola patients receive treatment within the DRC facility to reduce the likelihood of infected persons crossing into Uganda and exposing local communities to the risk of the disease.
Maj Gen Busizoori emphasised that the measures are intended to protect Ugandans from Ebola while allowing authorities to effectively monitor and regulate livestock movement as we fight to prevent Ebola from entering Uganda.
District Security Committees in the border districts of Zombo, Koboko, Yumbe, Pakwach, Nebbi, and Arua continue to enforce restrictions on cross-border movement as part of the national Ebola prevention strategy.
During the meeting, traders agreed to organize themselves and regularly provide security authorities with information on the number of animals transported from different regions in the greater north of Uganda.
They resolved that each sub-region would be allocated specific trading days to improve coordination and monitoring.
Under the arrangement of traders from Acholi, Lango and West Nile are to conduct business on separate designated days.
The meeting further resolved that all livestock transportation would use a single designated route through Pakwach to strengthen regulation of livestock movement, limit the number of people travelling on livestock trucks; these will further reduce the risk of Ebola transmission in Uganda.
Traders were urged to monitor their activities and report anyone attempting to cross into the DRC for livestock trade in violation of the restrictions, supporting efforts to curb cross-border movement that could increase the risk of spreading the disease.
West Nile shares a porous border with the DRC, where communities have traditionally maintained close social and economic links through trade and regular cross-border movement, making sustained vigilance essential in preventing the spread of Ebola to this region.
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