By Cynthia Kyofuna
The Covid-19 pandemic is indeed the wave that we were promised it would be. As much as we registered our first case in May 2020, 3 months after the official announcement by the World Health Organization, it hasn’t stopped the fact that we have registered cases and deaths. The unforgivable side to this tale is how the country’s leaders have been negligent in this fight.
It is no secret that uganda is among the countries whose healthcare systems are unable to support the needs of its citizens even with a reputation as the top country in Africa whose healthcare is “free for all” to cater to the needs of the poorest Ugandans. It is also sad to note that while health centers and hospitals charge exorbitantly for healthcare services to 75% of the Ugandan population that cannot afford it, the Ministry of Health has folded its arms and shut its ears to the cries of Ugandans.
It is safe to say that a line between the rich and the poor has been drawn especially now that the highest percentage of the citizenry grapples with how to adapt to life with the measures that have been reinstated by the government such as a lockdown on transportation, business continuity, education to reduce the spread of the virus. As much as this has been the norm for all countries across the world, the Ugandan Government has not felt an inkling to show accountability of what was done with all the monetary contributions to revive the economy while sustaining livelihoods; The International Monetary Fund offered a loan of $491.5 million, and a total of 23.9 billion from public contributions in 2020. Ugandans may be able to forgive this, however a year later with no progress towards healthcare delivery, it is absurd that the government should resort to lockdowns at the expense of livelihoods and welfare.
Lockdown may be government’s way of preventing spatial interactions that might spark an increase in Covid-19 infections but the real solution lies in overall healthcare capacity as this determines recovery, mortality and continuity of life.
Today, health workers, who are the heroes of this health crisis, are being reimbursed UGX. 5000 per day as transportation refund to keep them motivated, for all their input even when their lives are clearly at risk. It is no wonder that Uganda has lost its best frontline health workers due to negligence.
MIf we continue along this path, we are going to keep seeing a surge in mortality rates until appropriate capacity is put in place. If our hospitals and healthcare centers are still without enough supply of oxygen, hospital beds, medical workers and intensive care units, what must we expect?
Clearly, after a year, we have learned nothing. The country has been put to test by covid-19, and it’s clear that we are still fragile and unprepared. The indifference of our government places us at a higher risk of witnessing wave three and four if we open up because people will be headstrong on making money more than on protecting their lives- like it was with the end of lockdown 1.
It is fair to say that safely re-opening the economy is dependent on presence of healthcare structures but with no strides in this direction by the government, citizens are left to wonder whether their needs are being considered. It is equally uncouth that all over the news are people crying out to the government for help, burying their loved ones from death by the Local Defense Unit officers, or the inability to afford healthcare.
I must commend Tanzania for their united stand against the Covid-19 pandemic; we all must. It is not to say that the virus does not exist among the country’s citizens, or that there are no registered deaths, but it has a lot to do with how their leaders are in touch with the needs and lives of their people.
The rest of the East African Community, especially Uganda must question at what point we intend to stand up for ourselves as an independent country. At what point do we stop performing for donors or foreign governments? At what point will the citizens be placed as priority in this country? When will we recognize that this is our problem and that it must be handled in a way that does not inconvenience the lay Ugandan? It is high time we asked ourselves the questions we are so seemingly neglecting.
Companies Rise or Fall on How Well They Renew Their LeadersWhen the needs of Ugandans are not met on a daily basis and we only have to wait for a crisis to propel us in the direction we should have travelled a longtime ago, it unfortunately feels like we are putting on a show to garner sympathy from the international community. The budget allocations as advised by the Ministry of Finance should be able to afford us fully equipped health Centers
What awaits us in the future is no economic growth, and if we are lucky to have donor support, a lot of accumulated debt.
One of the most important lessons we should have learned by now is that we cannot outsmart Covid-19. We are going to willfully choose to manage and live with it or we are going to decide to keep shooting ourselves in the foot and therefore lag the potential that Uganda can get to without these yearly inconveniences.
If anything with the virus’ new variants every year, we should expect that we will still have remnants of the virus in 2025 and with this in mind, we cannot go on interrupting continuity of life and business. This same mindset is the reason as to why Europe is opening up, and probably why Tanzania never locked down.
The government should end the lockdown and focus on both recovery and institutional capacity. We can no-longer have excuses or even sit through an address where the president clearly states a couple of his aides failed at ensuring enough hospital beds and ICUs are provided.
Uganda’s honor is dependent on how we carry forward in this fight against the virus. I must applaud the government for giving the greenlight to Dr. Ogwang Patrick and his Covidex Solution, this is us taking the rod in our hands and standing out as the Pearl of Africa. This implementation requires the firm hand of the president, and probably ministers with the same determination and integrity as that of Hon. Muhammed Ssegirinya.
At this point, I implore the Government to empower and support businesses and companies that produce healthcare and hospital products, as well as empower individuals that can innovate around the virus.
Conclusively, as much as we are paying great attention to the Covid-19 pandemic, we must not forget that we stand fragile in the face of many more possible problems. A vaccine might be what we need, but it will take another year of collective awareness to convince everyone that it can be trusted.
The writer is a Public Relations Specialist
