Health Ministry Worries as Leaders Fail to Adjust to Coronavirus Lifestyle

 

With the deadly Covid-19 disease now presumed on the doorstep, Ministry of Health is ramping up efforts to help Ugandans adjust to a new lifestyle that will minimise the aggressively contagious virus’s rapid spread.

The ministry however, has expressed concern at the sluggish rate at which Ugandans, more so those in leadership positions are taking up its advice.

The Health Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dr Diana Atwiine this morning expressed shock at the ruling National Resistance Movement’s Secretary General, Mrs Justice Kasule Lumumba, who was pictured yesterday shaking and hugging people in Moyo District.

“Oh dear,” Atwiine exclaimed. “We still have work to do. We need to continue to sound more alarms on avoidance of shaking hands”

At the start of this month, the Health Ministry issued a series of dos and don’ts to be followed by all Ugandans to curtail the spread of the Coronavirus, which is now in four of the five countries bordering Uganda.

Among these is a call to avoid contact with people, washing hands frequently with soap and water and maintaining reasonable distance in public (social distancing).

The ministry has made efforts to drum this message into different groups of people including political and religious leaders, government workers, the business community among others.

President Yoweri Museveni later today is expected to announce more drastic measures to curtail the coronavirus spread.

These measures according to reports, may include closure of all houses of worship, schools and social gatherings.