Reports coming in from Hoima district indicate that due to the surge in COVID-19 cases that has also led to more deaths, the district COVID-19 burial team has resorted to charging relatives of the deceased suspected to have succumbed to COVID-19 as a way of facilitating them to execute their duties.
The burial team claims that they can no longer meet the costs associated with carrying out safe and dignified burials.
According to the locals, families are now required to pay over Shs500,000 for the COVID-19 burial team to help burry those suspected or even confirmed to have died of COVID-19.
Government had initially taken up the burial arrangements, to guarantee safe and dignified burials, commonly used when dealing with highly infectious diseases.
However, last year in November, the ministry of health issued new guidelines allowing families to bury their loved ones that succumb to COVID-19.
The burial teams are only meant to just disinfect the body of the deceased and wrap it in a burial bag before handing it to family members for burial.