How Uganda's pandemic preparedness, clearheaded leadership have aided the fight against COVID

COVID-19 |  

By Brian Arinitwe

Globally, the preparedness of most countries for pandemics remains suboptimal. This is largely due to competing for national priorities and fiscal constraints.

This has been so even when it has been immensely clear that preparedness outweighs by far the devastating loss of lives, social disruptions, and economic impact of pandemics.

If there is any public health crisis that has tested the pandemic preparedness of the global community, it is the Corona Virus Respiratory Disease (COVID-19). First detected in Wuhan in China, it has morphed into the greatest global public health crisis since the Spanish flu of 1918. 

To think that as early as February, most Ugandans thought the virus was so distant and that it would never reach our doorstep is simply mesmerising.

Of course, what is now less mentioned, but profoundly important is that countries which were thought to have the most resilient health systems and were the envy of the medical fraternity have grappled the most with this pandemic. In fact, they have not only morphed into the pandemic's new epicentre but have been hit by acute shortages of essential/critical commodities. Who thought it would ever come to this? 

Fighting a microscopic enemy whose steps are faster than science is no simple feat, so they say!  This reminds me of an article I read in the Wall Street Journal titled: "Coronavirus is advancing on poor nations and the prognosis is troubling." Oh God, if I may confess, I thought it was going to be a genocide!

To the contrary, we continue to have some of the best statistics and the least community spread not just in the region, but on the global stage. Clearly, once the deleterious effects of the virus became apparent, the battle lines were quickly drawn by ‘Sabalwanyi'. Decisive interventions orchestrated just at the right time.

Social disruption for the sake of public health. Short-term economic pain, but long-term national gain. These are all indicators of clear-headed and discerning leadership. Verifiable! Subject to data and statistics.

Indeed, President Yoweri Museveni has presided over one of the greatest public health campaigns since the HIV pandemic of the late 80s and early 90s. The results are astounding. Again, they are subject to data and statistics.

Uganda didn't morph into the virus' epicenter in East Africa as many charlatans had prophesied. Surely, we all remember the social media hullabaloo about ICU beds shortly after the virus had arrived at our doorstep.

As I said, the last time I checked, we still had the least community spread in the region. In fact, as of today, it seems the communities are so clean that we are only reminded of the horrors of this virus through the truck drivers who enter the country every day in big numbers.

The truck drivers remind me of the drugs, which we must administer even when we know there will be adverse effects. A drug has both therapeutic and adverse effects so they say. What do you?

You try to choose one with the best side effect profile. A new frontline. That is what Sabalwanyi calls it. Now we see decisive action being taken against truck drivers.

In coronavirus terms, it seems like Uganda is now like a rich man, who erected his mansion in a slum only to wake up and find a mess at his gate every morning. May God continue to help us.

Incidentally, people forget that Uganda's epidemic preparedness and response, especially to viral haemorrhagic fevers, has been the envy of many countries across the world. To the extent that we export labour(ers) to our brothers in West Africa, who have also grappled with the above epidemics in the past. It seems we have garnered vital experience in pandemic preparedness which mattered so much as we drew the battle lines against COVID-19.

In this regard, I wish to thank (It is the least I can do) our friends and colleagues at the Ministry of Health for being steadfast during our time of trial and tribulation.

Again, the results are verifiable, subject to data, and statistics. We now have an epidemic management structure withstanding taskforces at the national and district level and we have developed a testing ability at the points of entry in such a short time. We who have always laboured for far too long to demonstrate to critics how much has been accomplished in Uganda's health sector with far less are proud of our country. We are proud of our people and our leaders. 

If there are those among you who still harbour serious reservations about Uganda's healthcare system, Uganda's response to COVID-19 is your best example. Now can we have an election?

Sorry, I meant can we prepare to wear our face masks and get back to work. Minus a vaccine or cure, the threat of this virus will be here for the foreseeable future.

The writer is the assistant director of the Health Monitoring Unit