The director of police health services, Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIGP Dr Moses Byaruhanga, has directed that police commander should prepare body bags that were given to them during Covid19 in preparation for the expected massive deaths because of the latest Ebola outbreak in Mubende district.
AIGP Byaruhanga said he has also been directed by the Inspector General of Police –IGP Okoth Ochola to instruct police commanders to prepare for Ebola and do whatever is within their means to ensure they control the spread in police premises like cells and stations.
So far Ebola has killed 11 people even though the ministry of health has only confirmed seven deaths and 11 patients majorly in the Mubende district. Body bags are used to carry the bodies of people found killed, those who die in tragedies like fire, road crashes, and pandemics like Covid19 or Ebola or even wars.
Ochola has also directed commanders to release suspects with minor offences in districts affected by the Ebola such as Mubende, Kyegegwa, Kassandra and Mityana. This is intended to decongest the police cells.
AIGP Byaruhanga explained that Ebola is spread through direct contact with the blood or other body fluids of an infected person and on objects or surfaces contaminated by the body fluids of an infected person, which manifests as a deadly haemorrhagic fever.
The police doctor also highlights the symptoms including fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, muscle pain, and internal and external bleeding. Minor offences also known as misdemeanours include affray (common fighting), rogue and vagabond, and simple assault.
suspects with capital offences like murder, defilement and rape, the IGP has directed that detectives quickly liaise with state prosecutors to ensure the suspects are charged and remanded to prison facilities where they can be managed better.
The police force has listed itself among the most at-risk populations because of the huge numbers of people they deal with every day at the stations, during operations or inside their barracks. As a result, crowding of police stations has also been banned, and restrictions imposed on those accessing police stations.
Ochola’s directive also directs commanders to ensure that every person who accesses the police station must be screened at the entrance and instructed to wash their hands. The commanders have also been warned against using lack of funds as an excuse for not providing basic measures like wearing masks, and washing hands with soap.
All commanders who will be found reluctant on implementing the measure intended to control the spread of Covid19 will be dealt with accordingly. Ochola has also warned commanders against giving excuses for having no money. They should divert the money for operations to prevent Ebola the spread.