Uganda is currently the third-worst country in Africa in cases recorded per day. It is behind South Africa and Morocco. The overwhelmed health fraternity has lost over 14 medics to the pandemic while 1,000 have been infected.
This is the grim COVID-19 situation the country is facing. As part of a media initiative to mobilise the public to take extra care during the festive season to flatten the infection curve or perish, today three major newspapers in Uganda are publishing a joint one story and editorial.
The newspapers are Daily Monitor, The Observer and New Vision. And on Friday TVs will collaborate to produce two synchronised news bulletins, which will be aired on NBS, NTV, Bukedde TV and TV West at 7.00 pm and 9.00 pm broadcasting from a studio set up in Mulago National Referral Hospital.
The media houses have found out that a single COVID-19 patient requires Shs 7m to Shs 20m in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) despite the slim chance of survival. The only solution to COVID-19 is collective preventive measures through adhering to the health guidelines on prevention of COVID-19.
Medical experts are making passionate calls to every Ugandan ahead of projected infection surge in the next few weeks, largely driven by political activities and Christmas festivities. So far, the longest staying person in the ICU at the hospital has spent about 22 days. That means that government spent about Shs 44m on average to treat one patient. This cost can go even higher when all aspects of medical care are taken into consideration. A patient admitted in a private hospital ICU needing ventilation pays a daily fee of Shs 2m on average. This is minus the drugs and supplements required in the treatment regimen.
