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President Yoweri Museveni has been recognized for his efforts towards the global fight against COVID-19.

Museveni will receive his award in July during the first-ever international post COVID-19 conference, according to Amb. Abbey Walusimbi, the Senior Presidential Advisor on Diaspora Affairs.

The conference is set to take place from July 11 to 13 this year in Toronto, Canada.  

In a statement, Walusimbi noted that Museveni will be recognized for being a “role model for pandemic containment in Africa”.

“The Head of State of the Republic of Uganda, Gen. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni will be honoured with a global award at the international platform,” he said.

COVID-19, which is believed to have originated from China, is said to have caused the death of more than 6.86 million people after contracting the respiratory virus.

The coronavirus pandemic changed the way people went about their lives, especially in the context of personal hygiene and interactions

In Uganda, more than 3,000 people died. Analysts said the numbers could have been more had it not been for several proactive measures instituted by President Museveni, including the structured lockdown, which prevented the disease from spreading.

A CNN report quoting global research company Lancet that was published earlier this week ranked Uganda 10th and number one in Africa in combating the COVID-19 virus, which got the whole world on tenterhooks.  

Uganda emerged in the top 10 countries worldwide due to its ability to suppress the pandemic, the low mortality rate, containing the spread of virus and giving food relief to members of the public.  

At the awards ceremony, former Kenya president Uhuru Kenyatta will also be recognized as well as a number of personalities including Ugandans who have played a big role in combating the virus. 

These include; Senior Presidential Advisor on population and health Dr Specioza Wandira Kazibwe, senior presidential advisor on public relations Mary Karooro Okurut, health minister Dr Jane Ruth Aceng, and the Science, Technology, and Innovation minister, Dr Monica Musenero.

Others are; health ministry permanent secretary Dr Diana Atwine, Covidex innovator Prof. Patrick Engeu Ogwang, Uganda Virus Research Institute director Prof Pontiano Kaleebu and Dr Emmanuel Katongole, the co-founder and chairman Quality Chemicals Limited.

The event will run under the theme: 'Evaluating the Impact of COVID-19, On Humanity- Building Synergies and Resilience for Future Global Shocks'.

Walusimbi noted that awards are being organized by the Livelihood Development Initiatives International, Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD), Global World Canada, and The African Union.

He expressed gratitude towards entities that have supported the awards ceremony, which include; the Canadian government, World Health Organisation (WHO), UNAIDS, African Union 6th Region of Africa, Royal Bank Canada, Africa Canadian Social Development Council, IGAD, Toronto City, and Standard Bank South Africa.

According to the conference brief, the event will also bring together global leaders, experts, and stakeholders to discuss and strategise on the post-pandemic recovery efforts.

President Museveni and the First Lady, Janet Museveni (not in picture) got vaccinated against COVID-19 in March 2021

This will particularly focus on public health responses and ethical considerations in designing, implementation and preparing the global community to respond to future global shocks and emergencies in a unified well-coordinated effort.

The conference will be a platform to discuss policies that facilitate the mobilisation and distribution of resources, address social and structural inequalities in the world, and investment in human resource capital development.

It will also enhance the distribution of medicines, propose sustainable pandemic financing, harmonise pandemic and emergency communication, and equitable diffusion of technological innovations, among others.

The pandemic turned the whole world upside down, with vaccines the mainstay of millions of people's survival

Status of COVID-19 now

As of May 4, 2023, the International Health Regulations emergency committee of WHO declared COVID-19 as an ongoing health issue that no longer constitutes a public health emergency of international concern.

Consequently, on May 5, 2023, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the WHO

Director General, declared the end to the global COVID-19 pandemic.

These declarations officially transitioned the world into a post-COVID-19 era with 769 million cumulative cases and 6.9 million deaths as of August 16, 2023.