Families have now been allowed to bury their loved ones that succumb to COVID-19.
The government had initially taken up the burial arrangements, to guarantee safe and dignified burials and the Uganda Red Cross Society has been carrying out the safe and dignified burials of all COVID-19 suspected and confirmed deaths.
Guidelines earlier issued by the health ministry stated that the burial of persons who succumb to the disease was supposed to be carried out by trained health workers and the number of people who access the graveyard had to be limited.
However, the new guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health indicate that henceforth, teams will just disinfect the body of the deceased and wrap it in a burial bag before handing it to family members for burial.
Irene Nakasiita, the Public Relations Manager of Uganda Red Cross says that the new protocols are needed because they can no longer meet the costs associated with carrying out safe and dignified burials.
George Okentho, the Commissioner in Charge of safe and dignified burials says that the new protocols were issued after it was discovered that the remains of persons who succumb to the disease are not infectious.
