KAMPALA — Former Forum for Democratic Change President Dr. Kizza Besigye has asked government to hasten the mass vaccination exercise of essential workers as one of the priorities in the country’s efforts towards the fight against COVID19.
Dr. Besigye says once vaccinating essential workers such as teachers is prioritized, key sectors such as education can equally be reopened and the losses registered so far can be bridged.
“Appeal to international Organisations to donate vaccines to vaccinate the vulnerable people,” he said urging government to remove lockdown and curfew because “people should be resume work”.
He also asked Ministry of Health to protect by isolating the vulnerables especially the elderly above 60 years, those with chronic ailments like high blood pressure, diabetes and cancer.
Dr. Besigye said that if the proposals are ignored and lockdown measures are maintained, people should, within one week, consider to protest.
He urged that protest is the only way to end the discriminatory lockdown.
President Yoweri Museveni last week said that Uganda should not rush to lift coronavirus-related restrictions, warning that any haste in removing preventative measures could undo their work so far.
“The problem is not the virus, it is us! We are the ones carrying the virus, it does not carry itself,” the President who presided over the swearing in ceremony of the 15 ministers who missed out last month said.
The President said with discipline,” we could have avoided the second wave completely but because of indiscipline, this pushed the number of deaths from 200 dead people from the beginning to the current almost 2000?.
“That is why we had to launch another lockdown. From what I’m hearing, this is already slowing down the spread. In Cabinet, they told me that the lockdown is working. It is doing wonders for in stopping the virus”.
“Before, when they check 100 people for corona, 17 would be having the virus. But now because of the lockdown, when they check 100, only 8-10 people are positive. It has already worked. The logic is, freeze where you are! Do not move except for categories we allowed including cargo, security, medical etc,” he said.
Mr. Museveni said they are working very hard to import vaccines.
“Vaccines are not in short supply but are shared badly. Some people want to solve their problems first before they look at ours. It’s not Christian, but now we know that people who say they are Christians are not… and it’s a good lesson. That’s why we are working very had to develop our own vaccines. We shall either bring investors to produce vaccines here or develop our own vaccines. Some of our scientists are working on therapeutics. They have used some indigenous knowledge, which is abundant to get items that seem to be curing some of these people. But we shall confirm that and announce formally and funding these people,” he said.
