For the past few weeks, the Sudan-Ebola Virus has rampaged many areas of Uganda leaving scores dead, and others hospitalized which also led to a partial country lockdown so as to avert the novel virus.
Following that the Speaker of Parliament, Ms Anita Among, yesterday issued a string of guidelines aimed at containing the spread of Ebola disease to legislators, staff and all other persons visiting the House.
The guidelines followed consultation with the Minister for Health, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng, before the resumption of Parliament’s month-long recess.
“In the interest of safety and well-being of members, in exercise of responsible leadership, I did write to the Minister of Health asking her to guide us on how we should behave and how the House should be resumed because of the outbreak of Ebola,” Ms Among said.
The guidelines bar visitors from Parliament except for persons who have specific invitations.
“Unless you are coming to the committee but even when you are, you should be subjected to health checks and hand washing. If you have your visitors, kindly tell them to wait for you in the constituency,” Ms Among said.
According to the guidelines, plenary sessions will also have only 100 MPs while others will contribute to the debates or any other proceedings through virtual means. Ms Among said plenary sessions would run for about three hours.
Most of the committee sessions convened yesterday catered for virtual platforms like that of the Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights chaired by Mr Fox Odoi.
All persons accessing Parliament will be subject to body temperature check-ups, tasked to wear a facemask and ensure that there is frequent hand washing as well as sanitizing of hands.
Speaker Among also tasked the Minister of Health officials to frequently update Parliament on the Ebola situation in the country.