Government to use NIRA database and local authorities to identify vulnerable persons

 

Government will use the National Identification Registration Authority (NIRA) database to identify vulnerable people who need food relief during the 42 days lockdown, the Prime Minister, Robinah Nabbanja, has said.

 

However, unlike during the lockdown last year where the government distributed food door-to-door, Nabbanja said they have this time agreed to send the relief aid to the vulnerable persons via Mobile Money.

 

“We shall use the NIRA list and local authorities to identify these vulnerable people. We shall use mobile money because we believe it shall cut many administration costs,” the Premier said while appearing on a local television show today morning (June 21).

 

She said they will consider the urban poor first, adding that government does not have the resources to help all vulnerable people across the whole country.

On the issue of what criteria will be used to identify those who need relief using the NIRA database, and how much will be disbursed to each individual plus some people having no phones via which they can receive mobile money, Nabbanja said: “We shall sit tomorrow with the various committees and come up with the 'how much' each vulnerable individual will get. Vulnerable people are known, we have people who aren't working now and those who haven't worked for over a year.”

 

On Sunday, Nabbanja announced that the COVID-19 task force agreed that the pandemic relief token to vulnerable groups be sent through their respective Mobile Money numbers.

 

While announcing the lockdown on June 18, President Yoweri Museveni tasked Nabbanja to come up with a way of helping vulnerable persons.

 

The lockdown is aimed at curbing the rise in the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths in the country.

 

A total of 626 people have succumbed to the virus ever since it broke out in the country in March last year, with the last 42 deaths recorded as of June 19.

 

The number of deaths has been on the rise, with another 42 deaths reported on June 18, 34 deaths on June 17, while 49 deaths were reported on June 16.

 

However, 49,327 out of the 70,176 COVID-19 confirmed cases have recovered, the health ministry data shows.

 

The rise in COVID-19 cases and deaths is due to the emergence of new virus variants from mainly the UK, South Africa, India, and Nigeria.

 

“Results of COVID-19 tests done on June 17, 2021, confirmed 1,397 new cases. The cumulative confirmed cases are 70,176. There were 42 new deaths and 1,015 active cases in hospitals,” the health ministry noted.

 

A total of 821,659 Ugandans have been vaccinated so far.