The District Health Officials say some health workers have contracted the virus at their places of work over lack of Personal Protective Gears and failure to observe Standard Operating Procedures while mingling with patients as well as people outside the health centres.
Reverend Nixon Acaba, the Parish Priest of St John Church of Uganda in Pabbo Town Council, Amuru district says most Christians in his congregation have since failed to procure and use facemasks, or even sanitize.
The District Health Officer Dr Alex Olwedo acknowledged the shortage of PPEs and notes that they were forced to borrow ten gowns from Lamwo district to resume covid-19 testing on suspected patients.
The health workers from different health centers note that there is limited access to supplies such as gloves, medical masks, goggles, face shields, gowns, and aprons.
Bishop Janani Loum, the regional in-charge of surveillance and case management at the facility explains that the shortage of essential medical supplies is a result of the surge in the number of patients and their contacts in the community.
The PPE comprises surgical masks, N95 respirators, examination and surgical gloves, heavy-duty aprons, bio-hazard bags, protective gaggles, hand sanitizers and liquid soap donated by UNFPA under the Women, Adolescents and Youth Rights and Empowerment-WAY program.
According to the doctor's umbrella organisation, health workers should not endanger their lives by working without PPE. They say government should provide equipment for health workers
Patrick Emukule Ilukol, the Plan International Lira Area Program Manager explained that although Gender Based Violence, teenage pregnancy and early child marriage is still a challenge in Lango, they couldn’t seat back because of the Covid19 pandemic, which equally affects girls and women.
Aceng who was assessing the COVID-19 situation in Masindi on Wednesday following a confirmed case says any health worker who will go on strike over lack of protective gear to treat COVID-19 patients must be dealt with accordingly saying this is a battle for survival not losing life.
At Mubende Hospital, a total of 35 medical interns (including Doctors, Nurses and Pharmacists have been affected by lack of transport means. The interns body says they stay far from the hospital and have been unable to report to their duty stations due to the ban of public transport.
