The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT & URN | President Yoweri Museveni has said government plans to step up its treatment bed numbers to 40,000 as the COVID-19 pandemic cases rise in the country.
Museveni said although ministry of health officials were planning to create a special 9000-bed capacity for treatment, he has advised them to plan for 40,000-bed capacity and that places like Namboole stadium be prepared to handle a big number of people if cases continue to rise.
He warned, “if the numbers are too big, then they will overwhelm even the big place we have prepared.”
Speaking on Uganda’s Heroes Day, Museveni said people have not died in Uganda because initially, his directives were followed to the letter which led to a few people being hospitalized. He however said with the ever-rising numbers which currently stand at 657, it might be very hard to stop deaths.
His caution comes amid an increased number of COVID-19 community cases reported by the Ministry of Health coupled with the laxity amongst the population, the majority of whom have ignored advice to maintain social distance, wear face masks or even stay at home. Despite the increase in cases, the city is crowded and the streets are filled up.
“Those who were healed were healed because the numbers in the treatment centres were few and the doctors could concentrate on them. I appeal to you Ugandans for those whose activities we have opened up, observe the social distance, I beg you for the sake of yourself. Keep the distance, put on the mask don’t go in public without a mask.”
“The mask is not very comfortable but medicine apart from that of children is bitter,” Museveni said as he presided over the National Heroes Day celebrations at State House, Entebbe .
He added that he is disturbed by images of Ugandans disregarding all the preventive measures against the coronavirus.
Dear President don’t curse this nation,let those who violet these measures be handled seriously. This disease is real,but people in Uganda are still joking with it. Now imagine you reopen schools what a hell our children will fall prey of the covid??!! Please dear president life is better than education although we need education, we need to protect the lives of our children. Uganda is not her safe to reopen schools,let children remain home until December as we try to understand the behavior of the disease in Uganda.If other countries are hurrying in massive graves,what is going to happen to A vulnerable Uganda once this disease is familiarized to a certain level? Those political pressures are for nothing,even public transport and some businesses should be relocked and people stay home.