NAMAYINGO – The Assistant Namayingo District Health Officer, Dr. Mathias Mangeni has said that people on Bukooli Islands have refused to believe that there is Covid-19 which has led to loss of many lives.
Mangeni was telling the Parliamentary taskforce committee on Covid-19 that was questioning the rising infections on the Island despite government’s efforts to control the spread of the pandemic.
“We are currently experiencing an increased number of infections in Namayingo District because people especially on the Islands are living a normal life without implementing the standard operating procedures,” Mangeni said.
Mangeni said the level of infection among the population was way above the national rate.
“In the Island of Lolwe, the level of infection stands at 32 per cent and 29 per cent in Namayingo district as compared to the six per cent that is the national level of infection,” he said.
Mangeni added that Namayingo district as a border district is prone to crossings from Kenya and Tanzania which may contribute to the spread of the disease.
“The district lacks capacity of surveillance because it’s surrounded by water. This has made it difficult due to the high cost of surveillance which has seen people coming in and out of the district without being noticed,” he said.
Dr Mangeni also said that the district was facing challenges in taking care of Covid Patients because the district does not have a treatment centre.
He said that all their patients were being managed under the home care system which was had to monitor.
“Most of our patients are being managed by the Village Health Teams in their homes which also is bringing these VHTs in contact with patients without the necessary protective gears,” he said.
Dr. Emmanuel Otaala, the Chairperson of the committee said that all this was attributed to the lack of information and sensitisation around the district.
Namayingo District Woman MP, Hon Margaret Makokha asked government to improve Lolwe Health centre III which she said is in a bad state.
“We have noticed that the hospital is not equipped. The Hospital does not have beds and essential medicines,” Makokha said.
Dr Otaala thanked the Namayingo district task force for the efforts in the management of Covid-19 cases even when they do not have adequate man power to handle the rising number of cases in the district.
