Bus drivers have appealed to the government to review some of the restrictions imposed following the Ebola outbreak, saying hundreds have lost their livelihoods after cross-border transport to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) was suspended.
The drivers say the suspension of buses operating on DRC routes has left many without work, making it difficult to support their families and repay bank loans.
Ibrahim Kayondo, Chairperson of the Uganda Bus Drivers Association (UBDA), said many bus owners withdrew their vehicles from operation after the Ministry of Health halted bus services to the DRC to contain the spread of Ebola. Kayondo urged the government to ease some of the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) where possible to allow transport operations to gradually resume.
Ndugu Omongo, the Executive Director of the Uganda National Drivers Professional Network, echoed the concerns, saying transport businesses have suffered significant losses as passenger numbers on routes to border districts continue to decline.
“Some buses that were supposed to enter Congo are no longer operating there, while those travelling towards border districts are carrying very few passengers. Businesses are affected, and transport owners are asking us to engage the government to have the restrictions reviewed,” Omongo said.
However, he acknowledged that any easing of restrictions must be accompanied by strict adherence to Ebola prevention measures to safeguard both passengers and transport workers.
The appeal came as the Ministry of Health, the Uganda National Drivers Professional Network and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), intensified infection prevention efforts by distributing portable handwashing facilities and other water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) supplies to bus and taxi terminals across Kampala.
The supplies, which included 710 litres of hand sanitiser, 710 litres of liquid soap, 140 infrared temperature guns and 36 portable handwashing jerry cans, are intended to strengthen infection prevention and control at public transport hubs.
Speaking during the handover ceremony at Nateete, the Ministry of Health’s WASH Pillar Liaison Focal Person, Tonny Tindyebwa, said improving hand hygiene at transport terminals is critical in reducing the risk of Ebola transmission. He noted that water, soap, chlorine and proper waste management remain among the most effective measures for preventing the spread of Ebola, which is transmitted through direct contact with infected persons, contaminated surfaces, body fluids and infectious waste.
Tindyebwa explained that while many institutions, including offices and public toilets, already have fixed handwashing facilities, transport terminals have had limited access to portable units. He said the intervention is intended to close that gap because bus and taxi parks are high-traffic areas where large numbers of people interact daily.
He added that because the transport sector facilitates the movement of people across districts and borders, it also presents a risk for the movement of infectious diseases. Strengthening hygiene practices at bus terminals, he said, is therefore critical in reducing the risk of Ebola transmission.
The development comes as Uganda prepares to discharge its last remaining Ebola patient from Mulago National Referral Hospital on Thursday. If no new case is confirmed over the next 42 days, the country will be eligible to be declared Ebola-free in line with World Health Organisation guidelines.
UNDP Head of Operations Abdourahmane Dia said the support forms part of the agency’s commitment to strengthening Uganda’s capacity to respond to public health emergencies while advancing the country’s National Development Plan and the Sustainable Development Goals. He said that the donated supplies are worth about USD 20,000 and consist mainly of WASH materials to strengthen infection prevention and control within the transport sector.
Uganda has so far recorded 20 confirmed cases of Ebola Sudan disease, including two deaths, with most infections linked to transmission chains in the Kampala Metropolitan Area following importation from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Health authorities say the outbreak is now under control as the country enters the final phase of the response-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
