Immediate family members of National Security Fund (NSSF) members suffering from COVID-19 can assist them with submitting the stipulated requirements to access their benefits, the fund has revealed.

According to a notice issued by NSSF today (June 18), the requirements are meant to; “enable our fund doctor to assess and recommend on the payout.”

Earlier yesterday(June 17), the NSSF managing director, Richard Byarugaba, said members who are admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) can apply for their savings.

“If our member is in ICU and medical documents are submitted, the fund doctor handles the assessment and advises accordingly in line with the invalidity benefit. We, therefore, request that they reach out to enable us to serve them better,” NSSF said in a tweet yesterday.

The invalidity benefit is paid to a contributing member who has lost his/her earning capacity due to physical or mental incapacitation, as certified by a medical doctor. 

According to the health ministry, 49 deaths were reported on June 16, 34 deaths on June 17, and 42 deaths have been reported today (June 18), bringing the total number of COVID-19 deaths to 584.

A total of 1,564 new COVID-19 cases were confirmed yesterday, bringing the cumulative number of cases to 68,779. 

A total of 1,004 people are admitted to different health facilities, while 821,659 people have so far been vaccinated.

This comes at a time when Uganda has received another batch of 175,200 AstraZeneca vaccine doses on June 16, and it is expecting 688,000 more doses. 

According to President Yoweri Museveni, Uganda needs to vaccinate at least 4.8 million people before COVID-19 measures can be relaxed.

To start with are frontline workers who include; teachers, security personnel, and health workers. 

Also, those above 50 years and persons with comorbidities (other underlying illnesses like diabetes, hypertension and HIV) will be given priority.

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.

On June 6, President Museveni issued new measures aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19, and they include; avoiding gatherings, closure of schools, churches and mosques, as well as stopping inter-district movements for 42 days, among others. 

Museveni is expected to speak to the nation again today (June 18).