COVID-19: National taskforce resumes inspection of arcades

Jul 08, 2020

The team was led by Dr Emilliano Ahimbisibwe, the manager of health inspection and education and Balamu Mubbala from KCCA. They toured Ham Shopping Grounds, Mukwano Arcade, Ssekaziga Arcade, French Plaza, Royal Complex and several others.

HEALTH COVID-19

KAMPALA - There was excitement among the business community after officials from the National Taskforce on COVID-19 resumed inspection of arcades in downtown Kampala.

Many traders who own shops in the arcades and now operate on the streets, stopped their businesses to witness the officials as they entered and moved out of each commercial arcade asking questions and giving instructions to owners and managers on what they required to put in place before they could be opened.

Balamu Mubbala(left), a healthy official from Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) who led a team of the National Taskforce on COVID-19 briefs workers of Ham Shopping Grounds including the owner, Hammis Kiggudu. (Photo by Eddie Ssejjoba)

The team was led by Dr Emilliano Ahimbisibwe, the manager of health inspection and education and Balamu Mubbala from KCCA. They toured Ham Shopping Grounds, Mukwano Arcade, Ssekaziga Arcade, French Plaza, Royal Complex and several others.

Dr Ahimbisibwe said they were looking for compliance to the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and healthy guidelines as laid down by the ministry of health.

Balamu Mubbala(left), a healthy official from Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) who led a team inspects a washing tank at Ham Shopping Grounds. (Photo by Eddie Ssejjoba)

He said the inspection teams were interested in looking at the structural status of each arcade, the general cleanness and hygiene of each premise. Each arcade, he said, must have passage walkways and no blockage.

They also observed to establish whether the corridors and access ways are free of any obstruction, stockpiles and whether there were no temporary structures, with available adequate natural lighting and ventilation in the premises.

A security guard using a thermo gun to measure temperature. (Photo by Eddie Ssejjoba)

Other issues they considered were screening areas, Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras at each entry, exit and level of each building, persons checking body temperature of every client

Whether clients and attendants used functional infrared thermometers and whether shoppers, customers and shop attendants were using recommended face masks, with visible notices on use of masks, hand hygiene, social distancing and respiratory hygiene.

Business going on as usual in Kikubbo. (Photo by Eddie Ssejjoba)

The arcades are also required to have in place functional toilets with enough privacy for users and whether the stances are enough for each sex. Every entry and exit of the toilet must have functional handwashing points with water and soap near the toilets.

Hammis Kiggundu, the owner of Ham Shopping Centre said the majority of the arcade owners had invested much money in readjusting the structural status of their premises in order to meet the health guidelines and SOPs.

Majority of the arcade owners have invested much money in readjusting the structural status of their premises in order to meet the health guidelines and SOPs. (Photo by Eddie Ssejjoba)

He told the team that he had supplied free masks and sanitizers to all tenants and demarcated all their shop entrances to ensure they comply with what is demanded by the taskforce and hoped they will be allowed to open soon.

Kiggundu, who represents arcade owners on the taskforce, with businessman Sudhir Ruparelia said with all the required SOPs in place, it may not be sustainable to continue locking the arcades when the majority of traders have resorted to trading on the streets to survive.