Airtel Uganda, the current leading telecommunication company in Uganda came out to help and ensure alertness and preparedness of health workers in the most prone areas in Uganda for the possibility of an Ebola outbreak.
Following the outbreak of Ebola that has already claimed thousands of lives in Africa, Airtel Uganda handed over one hundred and fifty mobile phone handsets to the Ministry of Education at an occasion graced by The Acting Health Minister –Honorable Elyoda Tumwesiigye.
The handsets, which came fully loaded with SIM Cards, 530 minutes per month, 100sms per month, 500mbs each for the next three months, are going to be distributed to every health centre IIs, IIIs and IVs in districts that are prone to Ebola outbreak that have been identified by the Ministry of Health through the Uganda Nurses and Midwives Association.
Each district shall receive 4 phones with one specifically issued to the district Nursing & Midwifery Association Coordinator to assist in addressing the challenges nurses and midwives normally encounter with patients on referrals; such as failure to reach doctors and ambulance services in time.This phone shall be handled by the nurse or midwife on duty depending on the health Center duty roaster or work schedule.
Speaking at the handover ceremony, Airtel Uganda Legal Director, Mr. Dennis Kakonge thanked the Ministry of Health for their tireless efforts in fighting disease outbreaks in the country. “We are proud to join you in your tireless fight against disease outbreaks in Uganda,” he said.“At Airtel, we believe that if we continue to work together with the Ministry of Health, we shall manage to stop any possibility of an Ebola outbreak in Uganda as well as eliminate mother and child mortality at birth,” he added.
“Very few companies have come out to fight the potential outbreak of Ebola in Uganda,” said Honorable Tumwesiigye. “I would like to thank Airtel Uganda for their caring and giving spirit and I advise all the districts that have received these mobile phones to use them as intended in order to curb the Ebola scare in Uganda.”