As of March 19, 33 African countries had reported
more than 600 cases and 17 deaths due to COVID-19, the disease caused by the
new corona virus. More than 40 people have recovered.
From the beginning of
the pandemic, the World Health Organisations warned of the risk that COVID-19
will have on Africa where there are weak health systems, poor sanitation
facilitates, water scarcity and urban crowding. These pose additional
challenges to the fight and prevention of the COVID-19.
On the 19th Of March 2020, MTN Uganda
issued a cut down on their tariffs and put aside 500 million Uganda shillings
towards the fight of COVID-19. Airtel Uganda as well, removed transaction
charges for the next 30 days of the lock down.
On the same day, Solidarity Uganda took food supplies to the quarantined
Ugandans at the Central Inn-Entebbe as a sign of standing in Solidarity with
them. A gesture of our collective responsibility and ubuntu-ness as a Country.
While we cannot come together and radically serve
the community, sharing in society responsibility is going to be a great
resource for Ugandans in the face of the corona virus pandemic. Ubuntu will
help us serve our communities better beyond the selfishness that usually
engulfs us in the face of capitalistic and monopolized survival. We are only going
to survive if we acknowledge each other’s contribution to society. I am because
you are—Ubuntu. In that spirit, we will be more responsive in practicing
measures that not only benefit us as individuals but as a society.
With our health care institutions in dire need of
revamping to prepare them for the outbreak and a lack of rapid response units
in every district, there will be a need for doctors and nurses to volunteer
their time and resources in the coming months. Arguably, Uganda even in the
presence of meager resources has managed to put up measures to contain the
pandemic. The Ministry of Health has been critical to quarantine people coming
into the country with 14 Europeans exiting for refusal of being quarantined.
Crises have a way of making us realize our unity as
Ugandans. We have weathered a lot of crises together as a nation. We went
through the World Cup Final Bombings, the Budo Fire, the Ebola Outbreak and
recently the Boat Cruise sink-in as a unit. We can only but win the outbreak of
COVID-19 as a unit. Let us rally around washing hands and providing clean water
to vulnerable and less advantage people in our communities. We can also adhere
to the lock down and protect our families. Small efforts will help us in
avoiding exposure and also save lives.
During this time our success stories will be in the
collective responsibility and togetherness. Our efforts towards working
together will be the highlight in the fight of COVID-19. It is this collective
responsibility that has helped us survive other pandemics like Ebola, Marburg
and HIV/AIDS in the past.
Uganda registered a COVID-19 case over the weekend
and it is in our combined effort that we can work towards reducing the
possibility of a spread of the disease.
