Lifting lockdown: Dr. Besigye has warned the population that the after effects of the recent Covid-19 lockdown will require a masterplan.

Dr. Besigye’s call comes up following his assertions that the Covid-19 lockdown left many people in the country nursing stress.

Dr. Besigye while addressing the media in Kampala, paid attention to vaccines, domestic violence, medical personnel and education after President Yoweri Musveni lifting lockdown.

Lockdown

’A lockdown is a tactical manoeuvre for short term objectives. The objectives of a lockdown are mainly in two areas; to reduce the rate of transmission of the virus and hospitalization to prevent healthcare system from being overrun
Secondly, it’s to buy time’,

Doctor shortage

‘60% of established positions for doctors in Uganda are vacant. We haven’t hired doctors to serve us even on a meagre pay. We have many doctors in town but we can’t employ them. 75% of established positions for consultant doctors in Uganda are vacant. What’s wrong?

Domestic violence

Stress has escalated domestic violence. There is a lot of stress in homes resulting in violence against women and children. This is because the ability to build people’s capacity to fight disease was totally ignored’

Immunity and stress

‘The most important aspect of managing (Lifting lockdown) COVID-19 that has been lacking is focusing on immunity of people. The central focus of the healthcare system is to ensure people have good immunity. This has been the most disastrous area that COVID-19 and lockdown created’

‘One of the causes of low of immunity we have been talking about is stress. Stress destroys people’s capacity to fight diseases. People’s stress levels are in the roof because things that matter in people’s lives were left unattended to’,

‘Children too have been ignored during the pandemic period. Children must be in hospitals a lot of time not because they are sick , but for evaluation- are they growing well or do they have have good immunity’,

Food and security

‘We must focus on food security. People are extremely food insecure because they can’t afford two meals a day. Food insecurity isn’t only in towns but also in villages. Farms and gardens are collapsing . Food insecurity gravely undermines people’s immunity’,

Education

We must pay attention to education. The knowledge of the country determines the strength of the country not mineral resource. Japan has no minerals but it’s strength is knowledge. Africa is in trouble & a beggar b’se of lack of knowledge in spite of wealth of mineral resource.

For Uganda to shut our schools for over a year is the most heinous crime. There is no justification for the measures that have been taken against schools. We’ve known children are least affected by COVID-19. Why should you shut down schools for knowledge acquisition bse of Covid?

‘The closure of schools is a generational catastrophe. This address is not to Mr. Museveni and his wife, it’s for the parents and schooling children. Parents must step up to avert this catastrophe. We need a master plan and it will not be made by the NRM regime.’

Health budget

‘The amount of budget for health per capita is scandalous. Total scandal. Every citizen in Uganda receives a budget allocation of $30 a year. Last year we borrowed trillions for COVID-19, Mr Museveni took over a trillion to State House. For what purpose?’,

Vaccines

Africa is the only continent begging for vaccines. I have heard lies about development of vaccine here. Vaccines take a lot of institutional and scientific capacity building. The late Mbonye suggested that if any vaccine is developed, it should be tested first on developers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQe3WnKmwlU