As the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) continues in its preparation to reopen Entebbe International Airport to passenger flights, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has donated an assortment of equipment ranging from 4 stand-alone Air conditioners including installation and drainage, 10 automatic sanitizers (saraya type), 1 automatic computerized thermo scanner, 1 automatic walk through booth disinfector with temperature reading and several personal protective gear (PPE) all valued at 270,000 USD (approximately 900 million Uganda Shillings) to help boost and strengthen Uganda Civil Aviation Authority’s capacity to prevent the spread of the pandemic at Entebbe International Airport.
Speaking at the handover of the equipment to Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) on Tuesday, Sanusi Tejan Savage, the head of Mission International Organization for Migration (IOM) revealed that the IOM received a request from the Government of Uganda through the UN Resident Coordinator for support towards boosting the capacity of Entebbe International Airport to respond to the pandemic.
“As the UN Migration Agency, of which Uganda is one of the active members, we swung into action in collaboration with the Regional office, and fortunately, we were able to fundraise to support the Government and people of the pearl of Africa. We thank the government of Denmark, which has funded the donation. The equipment that we have donated to Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) aims to strengthen measures to stop the spread of the pandemic and limit the loss of life and this will be done by reinforcing disease surveillance and prevention activities at points of Entry in accordance with International Health Regulations (IHR),” Sanusi Tejan Savage revealed.
In her remarks, the United Nations resident Coordinator Rosa Malango, commended the frontline personnel including UCAA and other support staff in helping stop the spread of the pandemic.
“We would like to recognize the role of the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) in enabling the United Nations to maintain critical flights during the lockdown that has enabled travelling of the UN Personnel to keep hundreds of people alive not just in Uganda but also in the region. As part of the UN Support in Uganda, we have sustained critical movements and flights for life-saving operations, back up support to peacekeeping missions as well as medical evacuations. By ensuring access to information, social distancing, screening, and surveillance, aviation authorities can allay fears among travelers, “Rosa Malango noted in her remarks.
In her remarks, the minister of State for Transport, Joy Kabatsi, revealed that Government of Uganda is working hand in hand with many stakeholders in the aviation, tourism, and trade sectors to draw strategies aimed at putting in place mitigation measures to curb the spread of the pandemic through air travel when passenger flights eventually resume.
The mitigation measures have so far been tested with evacuation flights for foreigners and repatriation flights for returning Ugandans and so far proved to be effective. Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that have been harmonized with input from all players will be implemented to facilitate smooth resumption of operations. I commend the International organization for Migration (IOM) for the equipment that will greatly complement the measures in place to ensure a comfortable passenger experience through Entebbe International Airport, Minister Kabatsi said.
On his part, the Acting Director-General Uganda Civil Aviation (UCAA) Fred Bamwesigye revealed that the equipment donated by the IOM will be used at Entebbe International Airport to mitigate the spread of the pandemic and will be put to proper use when passenger operations resume.
“The equipment donated by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) will go a long way in ensuring the safety of passengers and frontline airport staff. Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) has in conjunction with airport stakeholders also put in place a number of other interventions to address the challenges occasioned by the pandemic on air travel that includes among others;
Installation of automated sanitizers at various points within the terminal building, social distancing marks on the ground and on passenger waiting seats within lounges, erection of glass shields at immigration counters to avoid direct interface of immigration officers with the passengers and similar glass shields are being erected at the check-in counters, emphasis has been placed on wearing of face masks at the airport and it is part of the Standard Operating Procedures, temperature screening is emphasized at all points of entry to the airport and there are ongoing efforts to create more space in the waiting lounges by removing the partitions to create open lounges that accord more spaces for social distancing,” Bamwesigye revealed.
