Uganda Medical Association says Uganda government has not done enough in the coronavirus prevention
Medics under their umbrella organisation Uganda Medical Association (UMA) have expressed concern over the country’s readiness to handle an outbreak of coronavirus in Uganda.
UMA president Dr Richard Idro revealed that the country’s public hospitals do not have the necessary medical personnel and equipment to provide treatment for impossible cases of the virus.
He says the government needs to increase the funds to be made available to combat the disease. This is after the government announced a masterplan of 25bn shillings last week to handle the threat of coronavirus in Uganda.
Dr Idro says this plan does not indicate how the government intends to close some of the gaps in the health sector that includes few ICU beds, which may hinder its plan of combating coronavirus.
“We have certain challenges, the capacity at Entebbe is one of them. And it’s not only that we have very few ICU beds like in Entebbe they have only three ventilators and after you have put one person on that ventilator is gone,” Idro said.
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Idro says if these gaps are not addressed dealing with coronavirus may be a costly venture for Uganda.
“So really all our efforts must go towards prevention because beyond prevention, the costs are going to be enormous.”
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Idro further points out that the plan has not taken into consideration the health of the medical practitioners who are at the forefront of fighting the disease.
“Without fear of contradictions that we are lacking protective equipment in some hospitals.”
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Dr Mukuzi Muhereza in his remarks asked the Uganda government to as well involve private units and hospitals in its coronavirus prevention plans.
“The system has not yet been developed because private units have not yet been trained to respond to this and care for this,” Muhereza said.
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Ruth Babirye, Vice President UMA in her statement reasoned that the 25bn shillings that were allocated to this prevention plan may are inadequate.
“25bn is too little I would say, because I don’t how much budget goes to the health sector for now, when it comes to health preparedness and outbreaks. The 25bn could be a start, the little that we could do,” Babirye said.
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However, Ministry of Health spokesperson, Emmanuel Ainebyona trashed UMA concerns saying the ministry’s plan is sufficient to address the fate of coronavirus.
“We came up with a response plan for the short time for the interlink, which our officers and experts are confident that it will be enough and they are saying it’s not enough compared to what?” Ainebyona questioned.
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Ainebyona further notes that Uganda is working hard to see that all the necessary resources needed in coronavirus prevention are in place.
“Uganda is not short of medical workers; we have a lot of medical workers who are trained, whenever, there’s a need they are called upon. We have enough infection prevention control gears and items at the National Medical Stores (NMS), we have the adequate capacity now at the Uga
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