KAMPALA – Governments in Africa are locking down.
Banning public transport, closing schools, churches, and gatherings. This is fine as it lessens pressure on health facilities and the spread of the virus.
Question is what you are doing during the lock-down and what happens after the 14 days, 32 days are over – especially now that we know the vaccine wont be available (if at all it becomes available) in 18 months or so. I refer to Uganda here specifically;
1. Are you using the lock-down to recruit new health professionals and quickly train them on how to handle covid19 victims?
2. Are you training existing health professionals on the Do and Don’t of handling patients?
3. Are you stepping up testing points across the country and in major referral hospitals?
4. Are you using the lock down to distribute essential health materials such as gloves, masks e.t.c to be used by health professionals?
5. Are you working out enhancement packages for health professionals who will now have to work more hours than normal?
6. Are you stepping-up awareness campaigns in villages on prevention measures?
7. Are you buying food and preparing to help those who will soon die of hunger because they can’t work anymore?
8. Are you monitoring markets, shops e.t.c to ensure traders don’t take advantage of the population through price hikes?
9. Are you availing all government cars to transport health workers now that you have stopped public transport?
10. Are you looking into fuel prices that will soon increase food prices?
11. Are you taming the dollar on which most commodity prices revolve?
What exactly are you doing in the lockdown period and what happens when the lock-down is over/14 & 32 days?
