Thread by @KasiitaMark

The rapidly increasing spread of Covid-19 pandemic in healthcare settings in Uganda is worrying and further constraining the already overstretched health care system. #ProtectHealthWorkers
#COVID19AndHealthWorkersRights.

This is directly affecting patients and healthcare workers, and consequently extended to their families. Safety improvements in healthcare settings need to be given urgent attention. #ProtectHealthWorkers
#COVID19AndHealthWorkersRights.

"Ensuring the protection and security of all health workers in all settings is a commitment of states through the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) ~ #ProtectHealthWorkers
#COVID19AndHealthWorkersRights

"Studies which have been conducted so far on Covid-19 have repeatedly revealed that healthcare workers are at the highest risk for contracting Covid-19." #ProtectHealthWorkers
#COVID19AndHealthWorkersRight

"According to @amnesty by July 2020, over 3,000 👩‍⚕️health workers in some 79 countries had died from the coronavirus, and healthcare workers in almost 63 countries had reported serious shortages in PPE. ~ #ProtectHealthWorkers
#COVID19AndHealthWorkersRights

The @WHO guidelines call for the continuation of basic health services, while strictly separating COVID19 cases frm others seeking health care. At the same time, health workers need extra protection,so that they don’t become ill and risk infecting others. ~ #ProtectHealthWorkers

From the first wave of the pandemic in those countries which were hit hard such as Italy and Mexico, overstretched healthcare systems saw health workers struggling with long working hours, fatigue and emotional stress which also affected their families. #ProtectHealthWorkers

Health systems in these countries struggled to maintain consistent inflow of supplies such as personal protective equipment (PPE) and had insufficient capacity for testing. #ProtectHealthWorkers
#COVID19AndHealthWorkersRights

This affected the early detection of infections & implementation of infection control measures.

Healthcare workers had to care for patients with suspected / confirmed Covid19 infection without appropriate training and/or PPE. #ProtectHealthWorkers
#COVID19AndHealthWorkersRights.

These factors put healthcare workers at an increased risk of being infected with Covid-19. The greatest risk to healthcare workers may be their own colleagues or patients in the early stages of unsuspected infections when viral loads are high. #ProtectHealthWorkers

It is clear that Uganda has gradually entered into this aggressive phase of the pandemic, without adequate preparation and a clear strategy to ensure the safety of healthcare workers. #ProtectHealthWorkers
#COVID19AndHealthWorkersRights

Initially the national response to Covid-19 pandemic was pre-occupied with the prevention of community transmissions, which have become worse over time. #ProtectHealthWorkers
#COVID19AndHealthWorkersRights.

Infection in healthcare settings have not been given much attention, and currently such settings are experiencing a crisis where they have to manage a large number of their healthcare workers who have contracted Covid-19; #ProtectHealthWorkers
#COVID19AndHealthWorkersRights.

These healthcare workers are spreading the infection to their families; there is a human resources crisis as many health care workers remain in Covid19 treatment centres and... #ProtectHealthWorkers
#COVID19AndHealthWorkersRights

..... in their homes on treatment and isolation as well as high levels of staff absenteeism from work due to the fear to contract the virus. #ProtectHealthWorkers
#COVID19AndHealthWorkersRights

The human rights and social impact of the national response to Covid-19 among healthcare workers has not been systematically assessed, leaving a gap in the full understanding and appropriate action to address such impact. #ProtectHealthWorkers
#COVID19AndHealthWorkersRights

This contradicts broad global recognition that equitable social policies and the observance of human rights are central to an effective response to pandemics.
#ProtectHealthWorkers
#COVID19AndHealthWorkersRights

The current situation of Covid-19 infection of healthcare workers in Uganda:-

Media reports in the recent past have indicated an increase in the number of deaths of the healthcare workers, who among them include the district health officers and... #ProtectHealthWorkers

.... frontline healthcare workers in Lira and Mbarara regional referral hospitals and district hospitals in Mayuge, Kiboga and Mubende, among others. By November, 2020, a total of …….healthcare workers in Uganda had died of corona related complications. #ProtectHealthWorkers

Testimonies from a number of health workers indicate that they are still facing a ray of challenges including:-

📇 Lack of Personal protective gears.... #ProtectHealthWorkers
#COVID19AndHealthWorkersRights

📇 High costs of testing for Covid-19;

📇 Working long hours to cover fellow staff who contract the infection and are away for a long time;

📇 The absence of a specified treatment and care package for healthcare workers;

📇Absence of risk allowances. #ProtectHealthWorkers

📇 Delay in remuneration and allowances which are very highly taxed;

📇 lack of housing that requires healthcare workers to live with their families, even when infected with Covid-19, among others. #ProtectHealthWorkers
#COVID19AndHealthWorkersRights

According to Wamani, "the alternative to a lockdown this time around would be strict public adherence to mask, hygiene&social distancing measures as well as a nimble health system response." as he reflects on the emergency room #ProtectHealthWorkers
#COVID19AndHealthWorkersRights

He further observes that the public remains lax and the health system is still under-funded and that the same shortages in human resources, supplies, and crucial infrastructure that would allow for the effective and timely testing, tracing and isolation of COVID-19 cases remain.

There is not enough PPE, yet suspected Covid-19 cases are mixed with regular patients. Then fate of healthcare workers in Uganda therefore continues to remain uncertain. #ProtectHealthWorkers
#COVID19AndHealthWorkersRights.