By Davis Buyondo and Malik Fahad
Masaka
The World Health Organization officially announced, last month (May 5, 2023), the removal of the classification of COVID-19 as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), signifying a shift in its status.
According to Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO’s Director General, he acted upon the guidance of the Emergency Committee to announce the conclusion of the public health emergency of international concern.
This means COVID will be managed like other diseases and currently few cases are being reported globally.
However, the declaration has sparked discussions and raised questions among research scientists in Uganda about the future of the pandemic response especially at the time the world is grappling with post-COVID-19 effects or Long COVID.
Despite the global impact of the virus on public health remains substantial. As the pandemic enters its fourth year, it becomes evident that the virus is likely to persist for many more years, potentially becoming a long-term presence, if not a permanent one.
While the declaration implies a significant milestone in the global fight against the virus, it does not mean that the threat of COVID-19 has disappeared entirely according to the health professionals in Greater Masaka Region.
Research scientists and doctors have expressed concerns over the budget cuts for the Ministry of Health, which have left several public health facilities grappling with a lack of essential medical supplies.
“In this context, the implications of WHO’s declaration need to be carefully examined to ensure that the necessary measures are taken to maintain the capacity of public health facilities and address the challenges that continue to arise,” says Dr. Jonathan Kitonsa, a Researcher Scientist at the Medical Research Center (MRC)- Masaka.
He said at a science café organized by Health Journalist Network Uganda (HEJNU) at Court Lane Hotel in Masaka that the effect of reducing budgets on public health facilities was unsuitable.
According to Kitonsa, it is crucial to improve the capabilities of these facilities in order to adequately prevent, diagnose, and handle COVID-19 cases, along with the persistent health issues known as long COVID.
Nonetheless, he states, the reduction in healthcare funding poses a growing difficulty in sustaining essential services at public health centres mainly regarding COVID.
“The fact that WHO’s regulations, which include continued surveillance, vaccination campaigns, and improved access to life-saving diagnostics and oxygen, require adequate resources,” Kitonsa highlights.
Rather than cutting the health budget, he emphasized the need for increased funding to meet these demands and overcome the setbacks resulting from donor fund cuts.
“Let’s put up systems in our public facilities to manage COVID-19 and its related effects, we need to have the capacity to test COVID-19 as we test malaria and all people coming to health facilities with COVID-19 symptoms need to be tested as well and when we find out that they are positive we have to be able to treat them,” he adds.
However, the nation now has the opportunity to get ready for managing the virus and future outbreaks, emphasizing the importance of getting vaccinated as the government offers vaccines at its facilities, states Kitonsa. Meanwhile, he noted, it is crucial for individuals to receive booster doses if necessary.
Juliet Nalubwama Mabike, a Peer Leader affiliated with MADIPHA in Kalungu, is among those grappling with the long-term effects of COVID-19. She reveals that following her infection with COVID-19, she developed rare complications related to her heart condition, which she had not experienced prior to contracting the virus.
Mabike shares that she has been living with this distressing condition for a considerable period, often enduring episodes where her heart beats abnormally fast.
As for Dr. Faith Nakiyimba, the Masaka District Health Officer, a notable issue confronting public health facilities is the shortage of COVID-19 testing kits, which have been expiring recently.
This scenario further highlights the urgent requirement for consistent assistance and resources to enable the region’s public health centres to effectively address the persistent threat of COVID-19.
According to Nakiyimba, there are still ample vaccine doses available in Masaka, and she encouraged individuals to visit designated public health facilities for vaccination in order to enhance their ability to combat the virus.
“Although COVID-19 is no longer classified as a public health emergency, it remains a pressing concern that requires ongoing vigilance and action,” she highlights.
“Due to lack of demand for COVID-19 testing kits we had expired, but now through our VHTs we are looking at strengthening community health and this will help us to bring services closer to people including covid19, vaccination, and other disease management,” she says, noting that the VHTS are able to refer cases to health facilities, and we expect that through community engagement we shall be able to attain 100% vaccination in our area.
In Uganda, the first confirmed case of COVID-19 was reported on March 21, 2020. Since then, cases of COVID-19 have been continuously recorded in the country. According to WHO records, a total of 170,775 cases of Coronavirus have been recorded with 3,626 reported deaths due to the virus.
Despite the challenges faced during the mass vaccination campaigns, Richard Musisi, the Executive Director of Masaka Association of Disabled Persons Living HIV/AIDS (MADIPHA), claims that the organisation successfully assisted over 1000 individuals with disabilities in accessing vaccination.
Initially, he adds, these individuals were unable to avail themselves of the vaccine during the extensive vaccination campaigns.
According to Musisi, their organization plans to organise another COVID-19 vaccination campaign, aimed at providing an opportunity for their members who missed out on the previous round to receive the vaccine.
Additionally, the campaign aims to ensure that individuals who received their first dose can receive their second dose, while also assisting those who require booster shots to access them.
Ongoing COVID studies
The ongoing research endeavors conducted by the MRC encompass the examination of various vaccine programs, namely COVAC UGANDA, COVAC 003, and COVVAR vaccines.
According to Dr. Kitonsa, these studies aim to assess the efficacy and effectiveness of these specific vaccines in the context of COVID-19 prevention within the Ugandan population. By analyzing the outcomes and comparing the results, he adds, researchers hope to gain valuable insights into the performance and impact of these vaccine programs.
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