KYOTERA – Business at Mutukula border in Kyotera District was on Wednesday paralysed after truck drivers from Tanzania went on strike, arguing the health workers of using crude means to draw Covid-19 nasal swab samples from them.
The angry drivers parked some of the trucks in the middle of the road, leading to a long queue of truck stretching five kilometers from the Uganda side to Kyakabungo in Tanzania.
“There’s a wire that is placed in our noses and it is so painful. One of our colleagues was recently tested and when he was pierced in the nose, he bled until he was admitted to the nearest health centre . So we cannot stand that pain and have decided to park our trucks,” Mr Musa Sadiq, a truck driver said.
Mr Amir Sserugo, another truck driver said they are finding it difficult to enter Uganda because some of their colleagues have tested negative in Tanzania but once they reach Uganda, they test positive.
But Dr. Edward Muwanga, the Kyotera District Health Officer, said cargo truck drivers are tested by highly experienced and professional health workers who even underwent thorough training before they were posted to Mutukula .“Unless they have other issues they are not telling us. We have professional and experienced health workers at the border. We are however going to look into that matter and sure everything is resolved,” he said.
