Report on the activities of young girls in Bukedea District left MPs in awe!

Parliament received a report of the Parliamentary Task-force on the National COVID19 Response by Bugweri County MP, Abdul Katuntu.

Report details:

Parliament heard that in Bukedea district, the number of teenage pregnancies had risen from 72 in 2O19 to 1000 by the end of 2O2O.

Informal girl groups

The District Community Development Officer reported that there are unprecedented levels of commercial sex among girls organized in informal groups such as -Team No Sleep, Team No Size” and ‘Team No Condom” among others: COVID19 Parliamentary Task Force.

Child labour

Parliamentary COVID19 Task Force noted that COVID- 19 has contributed to increase in cases of child labour, child neglect, physical abuse, gender-based violence (GBV), teenage pregnancy and redundancy in communities.

Herbal concoctions

The Parliamentary COVID19 Task Force observed that the increasing use of herbal concoctions has also been instigated by the approval of COVIDEX and COVILYTE by the National Drug Authority NDA as a supportive remedy in the treatment of COVID- 19.

The Task Force observed that this practice could have far reaching health consequences to the population. Whereas medical use of marijuana has been recommended in certain countries for pain relieving, it is worrying that uncontrolled dosages may have harmful effects to consumers.

Marijuana use

The Task Force was informed of the increasing use of Locally made herbal concoctions such as marijuana, mululuza and other herbal medicines in an attempt to treat COVID19.This was partly attributed to the inadequacy of drugs for COVID19 treatment at the health facilities.

Mental health

The Parliamentary COVID19 Task Force has observed that the halt in the provision of mental health services and the conversion of psychiatric units into CTUs exhibited inadequate preparedness on the part of Government and exerted pressure on Butabika National Referral Hospital, which was already operating at 150% capacity before the onset of the pandemic.

Drugs shortage

The Task Force noted the whereas Government was to ensure the availability of drugs in the treatment and containment of COVID- 19, the amounts sent to districts medicines, and health facilities were not able to meet the need.

Almost all the drugs including Vitamin C, Zinc, Azithromycin were out of stock and patients were being required to buy from private pharmacies. To date, the essential drug had not been updated by the National Drug Authority to include drugs for treating COVID19 hence, maintained under emergency drugs Ministry of Health.

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