World Bank disaster risk management specialist, Francis Muraya has lauded Uganda for being one of the African countries that is ahead in implementing disaster policies.

He said most African countries don’t have fully-fledged ministries of disaster preparedness like Uganda does.

He also made it clear that Uganda has made significant strides in responding to disaster strikes through a disaster-emergency-response policy.

The specialist was speaking during the opening of a disaster management international conference in the Ugandan capital Kampala.

Uganda is prone to a multitude of natural and human-induced disasters that impact on human lives by causing death, destruction of infrastructure, property, livelihoods and setting back socio-economic development.

Bududa district in the eastern part of the country has been centre-stage in recent deadly disasters.

In 2010, about 100 people were reported killed in a landslide that was triggered by heavy rain in the district. Scores were displaced, which prompted government to swing into swift action to resettle them.

{NV}