Beating Covid-19 with a caring wife along the journey

During this second wave of the coronavirus disease in Uganda where there is widespread community infections, many patients and those who recover can not precisely tell where they got the infection from.

For Mr. Dick Nvule Nsubuga, 42, an Editor with Simba FM in Kampala, his wife was the rock and saving grace at a time when his contacts and social networks could not get him to a health facility to seek medication. He needed oxygen and his wife, a mother to seven months old twins, had to act fast to save him. Mr. Nvule shared his recovery journey with Daily Monitor's Irene Abalo Otto.

When I got sick and was admitted, some online journalists pronounced me dead. I saw and heard this and I felt bad.

Mr Dick Nvule at the Hight Dependence Unit at Mulago Hospital. He has recovered and recently resumed work.

I agree that people are dying. They were saying they spoke to my close family members. I wondered who they spoke to yet they did not call my wife who knew what was happening to me? 

For me, the sickness started like malaria and I felt a little feverish, one night. Around the fourth of June, I decided to go to the hospital to check for malaria. They tested me and they said I had a bacterial infection in the chest and some parasites of malaria. They gave me anti-malaria and drugs to take care of bacterial infection.

After five days of that medication, I was not feeling any improvement. I had signs of Covid. I was feeling back pain, joint pain, a slight dry cough and it would intensify especially at night.

In the morning it got worse. I could not easily breathe. I picked up my phone and tried to call my friend, the spokesperson of Uganda Red Cross. I wanted her to send me an ambulance because I had no energy to drive the car. When I called her, she was switching me off.  She was asking me to send a message. 

I took herbs, drunk a lot of neem, and ginger. After a week, there was no improvement. Then one night, I could not breathe. I called my cousin who is a doctor at Mulago Hospital at about 3am. He said we need to do a covid test. i could not get to the hospital at that time.

I later realized that she could not pick my calls because she had also tested positive. She was in the hospital in Jinja. Also on an oxygen bed.

Then I called Emmanuel the spokesperson of the Ministry of health.  He picked. I asked him to send me an ambulance because I was not feeling well. He said he was going to send the number of an ambulance driver.

I waited for about thirty minutes but there was no ambulance. Then I picked my car keys and told my madam (wife) “you are going to drive.” Madam said, “l don’t have a permit. I don’t know how I will do it. I have taken a long time without driving.”

I said no you have nothing to do now because the ambulance does not seem to be there.  She agreed and drove me to Mulago. We took one hour to reach.

That hour felt like forever because I didn’t want us to make any more delays. I did not want to scare her because I remember one time when we reached a jam, I told her that I could not breathe. I saw her panic because she thought that I could pass out in the vehicle.

When I reached Mulago, I contacted my cousin again.  And good enough he was within. He came and they tested me. I tested positive for Covid. I was a bit scared when they led me to the HDU (High Dependence Unit).  It had very many people. For good management and SOPs, the reception should only receive around five people. But there were around thirty people.  I waited at the reception for around thirty minutes.

As I waited in the queue a nurse came and they measured my oxygen level. It was low. I was to be admitted in ward number eighty two. First, I had to be put on oxygen so I sat on the veranda because there were no available beds.

They put my oxygen there, next to me. I waited for up to four hours before I got a bed at around 4:00pm. I was taken to the ward.

At the waiting lobby, i could see people being brought in very critical conditions. I remember at one time, they brought a policeman. he wore a police face mask and I assumed he was a policeman. 

He was in a very bad state. They asked me to take off my oxygen and they helped him because he was near dead. I waited for another cylinder to be brought in.

But i also observed that there were some cylinders at a corner but one medical worker said they were not working. “Let’s try,” a guy came in and started fixing them on each and everyone who did not have oxygen. I think he was also a medical person. I realized that there were not technical people to handle some of those cylinders. 

There were female doctors and nurses at the reception but these cylinders appeared to be a little bit technical to operate. Someone needed just a wheel spanner, the magalo to turn around things and that alone made the cylinders work.

Imagine that all of us who were there needed that oxygen but until this guy came with an ambulance, no one could fix those oxygen cylinders on patients. They thought they were not functioning. By the time i left that area, the guy had about eight more cylinders to fix on patients.

Then they asked me if I was able to carry my things. I had some energy to carry my bags. Then the person led me through to the lift to level two.

They admitted me to the High Dependency Units. I spent six days there. I was on oxygen support for Four days. Two days, I breathed on my own. 

But for the four days I spent  there on oxygen support  I saw a lot of things going on. People dying to the extent that  when they took me off oxygen i wanted to go home. But they put me in a separate room to monitor me.

On Friday evening, I recall a doctor telling me that I had to stay over the weekend and “we monitor you and probably we shall release you on Monday.” But another doctor had said i could leave on Saturday. This other one came saying; “yes, you never know you can get terrible when you get back home. That is why I am suggesting you go on Monday, after some days. You have to be monitored.”

But mid Saturday afternoon, I made a decision that I should push for my discharge because I realized that things were not good. People were dying in the ward. Whenever you could go inside the ward trying to exercise, you find bodies on the corridors, on beds. I said maybe I would be the next person to die. So I pushed for my discharge with the doctor.

I told him; “you know what, it is no longer Monday like you suggested. I think let me go today because I am feeling much better.”

He said; “let me discuss with my colleagues, I cannot take a decision alone.”

 So he went, that was around 3:00pm. They spoke, and then at 5:00pm the nurse came back and said; “you have been discharged. Get ready to get your things fumigated and you also fumigated.”

At around 5:30pm, I moved out of the place (Covid Treatment Unit).

I was discharged on the 12^th of June after admission on the 6^th of June. 

A lot of things happened for the six days i stayed there.

 First of all, we created friends.The biggest lesson for me has been that covid is real. When i was at Mulago, i realise that we need to help each other to survive. Especially when people are sick, they need help because next time you will need help too.  

I found someone called John Owena. He heads the Makerere University mature Entry department, something like that. He was a very good man. He had been there for two weeks and he was my neighbor.  He said we should all be friends in the wards because at one time you might need them and they might need you.

We would talk politics, health, we discuss things that people were sending on social media because we also had phones with us.

We would also discuss our health. Owena told us that he was admitted with acute Covid. He had too much cough and flu and he told us that, the trick has been eating well, eating warm food and drinking hot water .So he gave us skills on how to survive and especially at night, you have to take a lot warm water because in the night is when acute covid attacks most people.

During the day you feel some flu but you don’t show too much but at night that is when you will feel too much malaria on you, stomach ache, headache, you feel the pain more at night. We had an area where we would put some water. We actually had some kettle.  He (Owena) would put water and ask guys “wake up, it is time to drink some warm water.”  

He also taught us on how to help patients whose oxygen water has run down. He would say that, because the nurses sometimes were too few on the ground at night we needed to help each other to survive.

You would go and help those with low water levels in the tin when they oxygen becomes dry. 

At least me, although I was on oxygen, I could afford to take it off for a few minutes and run to the toilet and back. But there are those that could not do that. They have to be on it twenty four seven. Because for them their oxygen level in the body was really low.

I started on seven litres of oxygen and there was a time I was on one and a half litres then they removed me from oxygen. Others were still in bad conditions. They had nine litters of oxygen, eight and that was really bad.

We helped them in the night to go on filling water in the tin to keep the oxygen flowing well. We kind of became a family there in there.

I recall a one Fadiga from Cameroon. He was telling me he was heading a consulate in Uganda. We became friends.  Although he spoke French and very little English, whenever he needed something I would help him. Unfortunately he didn’t make it. He eventually died.

Sometimes you get tired of being in the ward seeing other people going through pain. So you excuse yourself to the latrine and peep in the window to see people at the reception. Whenever you peep, you see very many patients being brought in. Sometimes it would worry you but also you would be lucky that you got a bed in there while others did not.

I was scared the time they put me on oxygen. I thought I must be very sick to have reached the level of oxygen support. I was also praying to God to help me come through it well, and glad I made it. 

Apart from oxygen therapy, i was given dexa, IV injections and some Vitamin C.

I think what has really helped me even after discharge has been soup. I have eaten all sorts of soup. From mushroom, to bean soup, to meat soup, to mukene soup. Every morning, I start with soup before breakfast.

 The other thing that I think has also helped me is doing exercises. Because I wake up in the morning, walk around for fifty meters and go back, fifty meters and back again.  At one time, I would also throw some balls on the walls as they returned to me. Such games!

When i was discharged, a friend came to my home. I told him to keep a distance because i have covid. He ran away. (chuckles). At work, i felt a little bit of discomfort. Some people look at you with sympathetic eyes. I understand what this means to them but i always say, covid is real and people should observe the SOPs.

State of media freedom worries stake holders

BY IRENE ABALO OTTO

Mr Daniel Walyemera, the Dean Faculty of Law at Cavendish University

“Journalists cameras are broken, they are beaten up and there is no clear reason as to why they are being beaten. Yet somebody had indicted clearly that they are journalists. They are doing their job,” said Mr Daniel Walyemera, the Dean Faculty of Law at Cavendish University said on Wednesday.

Violence meted against journalists in the recent past by mainly the state and its agencies in Uganda is worrying stakeholders and advocates of press freedom. They say this puts the country’s democracy at stake.

Mr Walyemera was speaking during a virtual dialogue on the findings of the 2020 Press Freedom Index released last month by Human Rights Network for Journalists Uganda. The report indicates a fragile relationship between the state and the media which, it emerged, is degrading not just democracy but all the other tenets of democracy. 
The report details cases of what happened to and in the media in the face of Covid-19 and elections.

Ms Ruth Ssenkindi, the Director Monitoring and Inspection at the Uganda Human Rights Commission said during the panel discussion that there is need for the state and stakeholders to understand the work that journalists do and the role it plays in the development of a democratic state. 

“Access to public information is so hard because many times they feel that it is classified but we have an Information Act. Unfortunately, it is not implemented. The state also has an obligation to protect media practitioners from any violations, to protect them from their employers, from interferences. You have heard of some politicians blocked from accessing a particular radio station because a call has come in from some particular individual. All these are in contravention of the state obligations,” Ms Ssenkindi explained. 

Ms Ssenkindi said that the state and any other aggrieved party at the work that journalists do should bear in mind that the journalists only get content from their sources. 

“Do not shoot the messenger. Because many times the media is just reporting what is out there. Yet they end up in harms way because of what they are reporting. We have also noted that there is a lot of self censorship. Many times you do not get the real story. There is political censorship, insecurity censorship, moral censorship based in religion. The commission has also noted that the condition of work of  media practitioners are not satisfactory which exposes them to vulnerabilities,” said Ms Ssenkindi. 

The need to have a uniform voice within the media industry to have better negotiation and bargaining power to muscle the many informal power centres in the field of journalism was also emphasised to enable press freedom in Uganda. 

Mr Joseph Beyanga, the Secretary National Association of Broadcasters, an umbrella body for broadcasters in Uganda notes that the absence of the Communications Tribunal that the Uganda Communications Act, 2013 stipulates should be in place makes it difficult for journalism to have a uniform position when courts of law is not a readily available solution to some challenges in the media.

“One of the big issues which we kept pushing is the constitution of the communications tribunal. Since 2013 up to now, nothing has happened. When you talk to people who are supposed to be providing for it, they tell you the judicial service commission is supposed to make recommendations to the president then the president makes appointments. But year after year for the last 13 years we have been pushing for that but nothing is in place,” Mr Beyanga explained.

He says that there have been disappointments with those concerned in showing the will to constitute the communications tribunal that would help to arbitrate on some of the violations done to media practitioners as witnessed during and after elections in early 2021. 

Mr. Beyanga notes that there are many informal structures and commands that make negotiations for press freedom a challenge.

“They make a promise today, the following day things go back. We had an engagement with the UPDF after former CDF (Chief of Defence Forces) came out to apologise after several incidents (of violence against journalists) they made a commitment. We tried to have a working relationship of how we can support each other because it is one thing that gives birth to other issues.”

He added that; “In there you realise that you are speaking to the CDF but maybe there is another line where the instructions and commands are coming from within the UPDF other than the CDF. The things were not clear but we kept engaging, nevertheless. You engage with the UPDF but some of the crimes are committed by the SFC (Special Forces Command) and the SFC was not reporting to the CDF. It became a bit challenging in terms of protecting the journalists. We kept engaging and we are still engaging up to now.”

Mr. Beyanga said that the broken state system makes negotiations difficult because sometimes one does not know who else one needs to engage with so that the journalists who work in the field are safe. 
The 2020 Press Freedom Index Report recommends among others that Uganda Human Rights Commission;

“Investigate all cases relating to violations of press freedoms especially those committed by the state and its agents. As part of this initiative, appropriate compensation should be provided to victims in deserving cases. Exercise the mandate bestowed on the Commission by the Constitution to defend and promote citizen journalism and internet freedom both of which are an evolving and important.”

In response, Ms Ssenkindi said the commission has noted the challenges including security and safety of journalists. “We have seen them being battered, harassed, vandalised, illegally detained. Media practitioners have cited political interference, intimidation, many fear persecution and of course they do not come out. There is denial of access to information and all these i have said stem from the state itself, private practitioners and the general public,” she said. 

She said the states have an obligation to make government information available to the public for public scrutiny. She further added that when the public cannot access government information then it becomes a challenge to enforce accountability facilitated by independent and responsible media.

Uganda has over 310 radio stations, 40 television stations, mushrooming online media and a number of mainstream publications.

Social media shutdown: Online entrepreneurs’ ordeals

An online clothes retailer shares her experience during the coronavirus lockdown in May 2020.

BY IRENE ABALO OTTO

Edited by Tabua Butagira

Ugandans began experiencing restricted social media access on January 11, 2021 – three days to the January 14 presidential elections – before a complete shutdown on January 13.

Online businesses in Uganda were first hit by last year’s four-month Covid-19 lockdown and just when they were staggering to life, the government struck them down last month with shutdown of Internet and social media.

After five days of total Internet shutdown and nearly a month-long blockade on social media, the government yesterday restored social media services.

“Internet and social media services have been fully restored. We apologise for the inconveniences caused, but it was for the security of our country. Let’s be constructive, NOT destructive consumers/users of social media,” Mr Peter Ogwang, the state minster for Information, Communication Technology and National Guidance, tweeted Wednesday. 

Mr Ogwang, however, did not explain why social media has been restored, but the decision came two days after this newspaper in an article exposed Cabinet ministers, including Mr Ogwang, who remained active on both Twitter and Facebook in defiance of the government’s own ban.

This newspaper understands that President Museveni met senior officials, including government communication experts, on Tuesday evening who informed him that it was unjustifiable to continue the embargo on social media in the wake of the Daily Monitor exposé.

In addition, the President was told that the shutdown was counter-productive as government was unable to respond to online attacks by its haters outside Uganda.

Whereas the blockade on social media was lifted yesterday, MTN Uganda informed its subscribers through short text messages (SMS) that access to Facebook, with which the government has a tiff, would remain restricted.

“Yellow Irene! Government has permitted Social Media access except FB (Facebook) starting today. Thank you for your patience,” read a message from MTN sent to this Reporter at 5:06 pm yesterday.

Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) records, as of October 31, 2020, indicate that there are up to 20 million Internet users in Uganda, with 19 million of them active monthly users.

Although both the Internet and social media have been unblocked, users’ experiences have not been the same compared to the pre-shutdown period.

“This is not the normal Internet we used in 2020. I have tried using it without Virtual Private Network (VPN), but it is too slow. I actually think they are still planning to restore it or it is a hoax,” said Mr Rogers Semakula, proprietor of New Fashion Designers, an online business selling women shoes.

According to Ms Farida Matovu, the chief executive of Kampala-based Fana Kitchen Ware, which sells kitchenware online, “it takes a long time to upload or download pictures. The videos are not uploading.”

She added: “Covid-19 affected us but this Internet shutdown affected us more. We had to close the shop and go home. There are people like my old mum who knew nothing about VPN. They are the majority of consumers who have money to spend on products like ours. The youth knew how to navigate and bypass the shutdown, but they are not the ones buying these goods. Majority are on social media for fun and connection with others.”

Ugandans experienced widespread Internet disruption on platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram and Snapchat, when using the country’s data servers.

UCC, without giving any reason, instructed telecom companies to restrict access to social media from January 11, 2021 till Wednesday February 10, 2021.

That was when Uganda realized that perhaps no one can efficiently operate without the internet, not even the government. While connection to other internet services were restored on January 18, 2020, two days after presidential results were announced, social media remained inaccessible except for VPN users.

Whereas there is no clear statistic of how much businesses lost during the Internet and social media shutdown, Jumia, a major online retailer in Uganda, says they could not immediately quantify the losses but it runs in several millions of shillings during the total shutdown from January 13 to January 18, 2021.

Ms Samantha Abaho, the Jumia public relations manager, said they were able to move on with orders for those who could use their emails when the Internet was restored. Unlike other businesses that depend totally on social media for orders, Jumia has an option for their customers to set up email accounts for orders.

Other businesses could not operate in that manner. Mr Robert Katimbo (not real name) sells bras of all sizes and make. He used to advertise or display his stock online, especially Facebook and WhatsApp and deliver to homes and offices at a cost.

“I could not sell anything when they removed us from social media,” Mr Katimbo said on Monday.

He declined to discuss details of the losses he incurred, but sounded elated over news of the restoration of the Internet.  

“Are you sure social media is back? Let me first check then we talk later. Let me check if there are any orders coming on my (Facebook) page,” Mr Katimbo said before hanging up.

Big businesses easily picked up off social media to reach their clients but there are small businesses that totally depended on social media to sell their products.

Mr Semakula, the dealer in women shoes online, has clientele spread across borders in Kenya, Tanzania and Sudan. He estimates that he lost more than Shs20 million during the 29-days social media shutdown, with daily sales plummeting by half.

“Generally, everything was slow and low. Communication was hard, (clients’) orders were low ad orders from suppliers came in slowly. Some of my clients out there did not know how to use VPN, (to bypass government Internet shutdown). So, they just gave up and waited for the Internet to be restored,” Mr Semakula said yesterday.

He added: “I had to make direct calls or send SMS to clients. I just went back to offline as something I could hold on to keep around. I cannot compare online to offline. Off line is just not organised because things are not on time.”

Despite his business suffering a setback during the Internet shutdown, Mr Semakula said he would still choose to do business online.

“The world is moving online. There is no way we can continue to operate offline. I cannot recommend for anyone to start a business or operate offline,” he said.

Some businesses like Fana Kitchen Ware that operate online stopped operations during the total Internet shutdown for the five days from January 13 to January 18, 2021.

The Chief Executive Officer, Fana Kitchen Ware hoped that after the total shutdown, she would resume normal operations but was disappointed to learn that her clients were not on VPN. For those outside Uganda, explanations that Uganda was under Internet blockade fell on deaf ears for impatient clients who needed immediate deliveries.

“I kept calling and explaining that our Internet was shut down. But things online move fast. Whenever you delay, the customer looks for an available alternative,” chief executive Matovu said.

Most businesses were still recovering from the shock of the four months coronavirus lockdown from March to June when the internet shutdown happened.

Ms Matovu complained that the cost of doing business was already on the rise and new headwinds such as Internet and social media blackout make life more difficult for online entrepreneurs.

Some of the online businesses rent out premise for storage of merchandise and had incurred arrears by the time of the shutdown yet they had negotiated with the landlords to deduct payments on monthly basis.

“I know several people, workmates and associates who are offline. I know several businesses that are collapsing each day because they were surviving through online related work. The Tourism, Education, Health and IT sector has been most affected. I also understand that the airline industry was greatly affected in the earliest stages of the shutdown,” Mr Kato Mukasa, a Human Rights defender in a letter published in the Thursday edition of the Daily Monitor.

According to the Ministry of Finance, the cost of Internet shutdown weighed heavily on the government too since it affected its ability to repay its debt burden, receive tax revenue and also pay wages due to civil servants.

Kyagulanyi says he can win Museveni in an election – without army

Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine, former Presidential Candidate, NUP

Former presidential Candidate Robert Ssentamu Kyagulanyi has said without the  army and police involvement in Uganda’s elections, President Yoweri Museveni can not win him in an election. 

The Kyadondo East legislator who is also the leader of the National Unity Platform, NUP party claims that he won President elect Museveni in the January 14 poll citing fraud and violence in the electoral process. 

Mr Kyagulanyi challenged president Museveni to a re-election where they are only two on the ballot paper to prove how unpopular he had become among Ugandans. 

“I challenge him (Gen Museveni) for a re-election without involvement of the army and police. With internet and a free media, I can win him,” Mr Kyagulanyi said.

Mr Kyagulanyi was addressing about 300 National Unity Platform elected leaders from Mukono South, North, Nakifuma and Mukono Municipality at his home In Magere, Wakiso district. 

He urged elected leaders to remember the people who gave them the mandate through their votes to become leaders and agents of change in Uganda’s political space.

Mr. Kyagulanyi said he is not looking at his party leaders as those to be in the opposition but in government. 

Already, Mukono Municipality Member of Parliament Betty Nambooze has secured interest to become the leader of government business if NUP becomes the next government after the judgment. 

On February 1,2021, Mr. Kyagulanyi filed a petition with the Supreme Court challenging the victory of President Museveni voting fraud and non-compliance with electoral laws. 

“I believe in the rule of law, that’s why I went to court. My belief in the courts does not mean that the courts are not going to be abused by Gen Museveni. I believe in democracy, that’s why I participated in the elections. My belief in democracy does not mean that democracy is not going to be disrespected by Museveni,” Mr Kyagulanyi told Daily Monitor on Monday from his home in Magere. 

The Electoral Commission on January 16, 2021 announced President Museveni as winner of the January 14 polls with 58 percent against Kyagulanyi’s 34 percent. Kyagulanyi insists he won the election. 

The court is expected to deliver its judgment within 45 days from the date of filing the petition. Nine justices of the Supreme Court are to hear the election petition including Chief Justice Owiny-Dollo, Dr Esther Kisaakye Kitimbo, Mike Chibita among others.

“I have thrown the challenge to the judiciary. This is a clear case. Everything that I stated in the petition was actually public knowledge. It is up on the court of law to show that they are worth their name,” Mr Kyagulanyi said. 

Meanwhile, Kyagulanyi and his NUP elected leaders are expected to chose the next leader of opposition in the eleventh parliament to replace Forum for Democratic Change’s Ms Betty AOL Ochan. 

“Giving you an update, we went to court because we have clear evidence that is clear for even for the blind man to see and we therefore asked court for two things. We asked it to cancel Mr Museveni’s victory and if it comes to the worst, we get to have a re-election as long as the army [and security] is kept out polls/election matters and without teargas,” Mr Kyagulanyi told NUP leaders at his home I. Magere on Monday. 

Uganda’s president elect is to sworn into office on May 12, 2021 according to the constitution.

Dynamics of covid-19 and mental health treatment

BY Irene Abalo Otto

When Uganda’s health care systems began experiencing a surge in covid-19 cases from June, 2020, some regional referral hospital mental health units were converted into Covid Treatment Units, CTU.

“We resorted to the mental health unit because of the nature of how it had been constructed. It could easily be zoned (to prevent infections spreading to other patients in the hospital). Sooner or later, we realised we had run into trouble with mental patients. We did not have where to put them. We tried putting them in other ordinary wards but the other patients were complaining. We were lucky that we had Kyabakoza Health Centre II, which was constructed but not yet used and it has a fence,” Dr. Nathan Onyachi, the Masaka Regional Referral Hospital Director explained on Sunday. The district allowed the hospital to temporarily use the health centre as their mental health unit.  

In June, Arua Regional Referral Hospital shifted their mental health unit to the Ear, Nose and Throat admission room after the unit was turned into a CTU. Twenty mentally ill patients on admission were relocated. 

“Two of the mentally ill patients were found mixed with covid patients in the red zone. After four months when they shifted to EAT, some patients started escaping to go back to their old mental health unit which had covid patients. Up to now, the hospital is struggling to keep the mentally ill in their new location,” Mr Stephen Candia, a journalist in Arua who also attended covid task force meetings where reports would be presented on emerging issues told Daily Monitor. The management of the hospital declined to speak to Daily Monitor on the current situation. 

Other referral facilities have had to adapt and change their method of operation to avert such challenges.  

Masaka hospital realised that after shifting their Mental Health Unit to Kyabakoza Health Centre II, a new nearby facility, they needed to adopt consellign of relatives to manage their patients from home rather than admit them at the health facility. 

“Covid units have zero patients for the first time. We are keeping our fingers crossed. We do not want to get excited. We hope that it means the disease is going down. If we spend some time without receiving covid patients, we shall consider returning the mental health unit probably by the end of February,” Dr Onyachi said adding that;

“Fortunately, our mental health staff found innovative ways of avoiding admission of mental health patients. They started giving longer acting medicines that could keep them at home and somehow they have coped. Probably the worst thing they have done is to detain a patient a day or twenty four hours and then let them go home. It is also a good thing for them (staff). They did not think they could do it but they have done it,”

At Lira Regional Referral Hospital, service models also changed during the covid period by venturing more into community outreach than waiting for patients to come to the hospital. This was intended to reduce crowds at the facility to prevent the spread of covid-19 that would exacerbate the situation of the mental health patients.

“We are now doing community outreaches to have mental health patients access care. Our team of professionals go out to the patients in areas that we have mapped. There are just a few people (with mental health illnesses) coming to the health facility,” Dr Steven Oboo, the Director Lira Regional Referral Hospital said on Thursday last week.

Mental health medics say the lockdown measures instituted by the government made some patients miss out on their medications.

“They missed out on their medication. When they locked down, most health facilities had not yet delivered the medicines. They were still preparing to replenish, then the lockdown came and the facilities were still waiting for their supplies. Somehow, there were these relapses. Once there is a relapse, people sometimes have to be admitted to first normalize and calm them down, The medicines became available after the lockdown,” Dr Hasifa Nkwata, the Commissioner in charge of mental Health at the Ministry of Health told Daily Monitor last week.

This forced the patients to seek care from other facilities before options could be found for space within the existing space in the hospitals to accommodate mental health patients.  This affected the conventional set up of care for mental health patients.

“Initially, when we had just started (covid lockdown) everything was okay. However, when the lockdown ended, other services somehow continued but the mental health services suffered because there was nowhere they could be. Our units were being used as the Covid Treatment Units,”

Since the phased lifting of the lockdown began on June 4, Butabika Hospital received a high number of patients.
Dr Juliet Nakku, the deputy executive director of Butabika National Referral Mental Hospital, told Daily Monitor in July 2020 that between July12 and July 18, the hospital received about 1,050 cases needing admission, yet previously they received between 800 and 900 patients per week.
Butabika Hospital has a bed capacity of 550.  

“We do not know exactly what is causing the surge, but we suspect it could be due to two reasons. One is the fact that mental health services are not being accessed in other parts of the country.” Dr Nakku told Daily Monitor in July.

But currently, the referral facilities are adapting to the change in service delivery.

“For the referrals, it is not true that people were being referred officially to Butabika. Only that when services were not available, those who were taking care of those patients had to get other alternatives and that is how we saw the people getting into Butabika hospital. Whoever would fail to find proper care, they were shifting to Butabika,” said Dr. Nkwata.

There is no clear statistic to show the current number of patients seeking mental health care are both regional and national levels. But the commissioner mental health said fewer patients are on admission at referral facilities. Most patients are being attended to at the out-patient department, treated and they go back home.

Arua Regional Referral Hospital, Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital, Gulu Regional Referral Hospital, Hoima Regional Referral Hospital, Jinja Regional Referral Hospital, Kabale Regional Referral Hospital, Old Mulago Hospital, Lira Regional Referral Hospital, Masaka Regional Referral Hospital, Mbale Regional Referral Hospital, Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital, Moroto Regional Referral Hospital, Mubende Regional Referral Hospital, Soroti Regional Referral Hospital.

The pandemic shifted most attention from other sicknesses at various health facilities to prevention or treatment of covid-19. Some mental health patients are on long term treatment and require refills after a specific period of time.

“She has to take medicine every day. She cannot skip. They are treating her for mental health. She used to speak to herself. I have come to pick medicine for my mother. She was admitted here for many years but when she was discharged, I took the responsibility upon myself to get her medication from here,” Ms Namudu Lillian, a 20 year old daughter of a mentally ill mother of seven from Mukono district. Ms Namuddu is a Midwifery student at Muyenga in Kampala. Namuddu was speaking to Daily Monitor from Butabika Hospital on December 2, 2020. She has grown up seeing her mother struggle with mental illness for about fifteen years after her mother’s marriage went soar. The marriage eventually broke and her father remarried. Her mother remains single.

“She wants to speak only to me. The rest of the time she is there quiet. She just sleeps in the bed. She tells me that she wants to come back here (at Butabika hospital). She says there is freedom. When she had just come back (home) from here, she used to demand us to care for her. She wants you to bath her, feed her. She never wanted to bath alone. It reached a moment when we left her to care for herself. The bad thing is that she is weak. So she stays in bed most of the time,” said Ms Namuddu.

Information obtained from medics at Butabika National Mental Hospital details that the number of out-patients visiting the unit were mainly re-attendances which does not indicate an increase in the number of admissions at the government facility from June to October 2020. 

The medics spoke anonymously because they do not have authority to speak to the media. The main mental disorders for which people seek mental health care include; epilepsy, bipolar, schizophrenia, depression and dementia.

In 2019, Butabika hospital received about 12,855 patients seeking treatment for epilepsy, 11,354 for bipolar, 10,344 for schizophrenia and 2,437 for depression. Daily Monitor is yet to get the figures for 2020 from the hospital due to bureaucratic requirements for access to the statistics.  

Cabinet lists recommendations to prevent future fires at Makerere ahead of official investigation report release.

BY IRENE ABALO OTTO

Cabinet sitting at Entebbe on Monday last week ‘noted’ a number of recommendations from a police investigation report on how the fire that gutted Makerere University’s ‘Ivory Tower’ building last year can be prevented in future. The report has not yet been officially released. 

Makerere was first established in 1922 as a technical institute but grew to become one of the best Universities in Africa.

The January 25, 2021 cabinet decisions listed ten recommendations from an investigation report into the September 19, 2020 midnight fire that gutted the iconic main administration building, whose copy Daily Monitor could not obtain by press time.

But Vice Chancellor Prof Barnabas Nawangwe yesterday tweeted; “We have received inquiries from several stakeholders of Makerere University about fundraising for restoration of our iconic main building. The fundraising drive awaits release of the @PoliceUg report on investigations on the cause of the fire which destroyed the building. We will inform all stakeholders immediately the report is released, which we expect will be very soon.”

But cabinet seem to have had some insights on the report and the meeting noted the recommendations from the report including; revamping electrical installations in old Buildings of Makerere University with an increase in annual maintenance budget of the Estates and Works Department to enable the department carry out preventive maintenance on buildings in the University.

“Two electricians with at least an Ordinary Diploma in Electrical Engineering and installations permits should be recruited. A registered Electrical Engineer should be recruited for the Estates and Works Department, at management level. The University should ensure that all Closed Current Television (CCTV) in the buildings are fully functional and monitored in a central surveillance room at all times,” reads part of the recommendation in the cabinet decision.

The Cabinet decision further noted that the Fire Brigade should beef up its capacity to effectively and efficiently respond to fire and have a fire fighting truck permanently stationed at Makerere University.

Makerere University and other Government Institutions are to ensure installation of fire hydrant points for use by the fire brigade and the university should put in place a proper health and safety system as per the Occupational Safety and Health Act, 2006.

The Act was also designed to ensure that fires can be prevented before they cause damage.

Section 63 (1) of the Act indicates that; “efficient devices or appliances shall be provided and maintained in every room or place where work is carried on, by which power can promptly be cut off from the transmission machinery in that room or place, where there is eminent danger.”

The Act in section 84 stipulates that; “All electrical apparatus, fittings and conductors shall be sufficient in size and power for the work they are meant for and shall be constructed, installed, protected, worked and maintained to prevent danger, as far as is reasonably practicable.”

Away from the University, the cabinet hinted on approved plans, without giving details, to enhance the capacity of the National Building Review Board to monitor buildings across the country for timely detection of deterioration.

The National Building Review Board is a body corporate established by the Building Control Act, 2013.  Politically, the body reports to and is guided by the Minister of Works and Transport.

 NBRB is mandated to Monitor building developments, ensure that the design and construction of buildings and utilities to which the public is to have access, caters for Persons with Disabilities (PWDS) to ensure that PWDS are able to comfortably make their way into and maneuver within buildings with dignity, independence and safety on an equal basis with others who have no disability; Oversee, inspect and monitor the operations of Building Committees; Hear and determine appeals from persons dissatisfied with the decisions of a Building Committee; and determine the fees to be charged by urban and district Building Committees for approval of plans, issue of building permits and occupation permits.

Slum dwellers speak out to Muntu

BY IRENE ABALO OTTO

irene.abalo@gmail.com

The Alliance for National Transformation, ANT party flag bearers went into their second Presidential campaign day in Kawempe Division in Kampala expecting the pomp and flare that welcomed them in Makindye Division on Monday but the team were bombarded with questions from the potential voters.

What normally happens in campaigns is that candidates present themselves and their manifestos before the electorates and are later voted on how the voters perceived and viewed their leadership abilities. That is how democracy makes a candidate compete in a free, fair and credible election. 

But the people of Kalerwe, Ssebina Zone in Kawempe South did more of the talking than listening to the ANT, presidential candidate, Maj Gen (Rtd) Mugisha Muntu Gregg who labored to express himself Luganda, the local dialect of majority of the mainly Muslim slum community. 

“What are you going to do for us? We are tired of empty promises. Some of us lost our cattle during the Luwero War and property in the Luwero war and we are here suffering as if we had nothing before. Look at our children, they are at home and not going to school. Even when you try to borrow a loan for your business, the interest rates are too high and you cannot save enough for the future. How are we supposed to live?” An elderly woman kept shouting from one of the tents as she is seconded by others. 

It looked more like a carefree town hall meeting. The crowd threw random questions at candidates to highlight their personal life struggles, some contrary to what the speaker would be saying. Others were questioning why they should trust ANT leaders because those in power had abused their mandate and misused state resources to enrich themselves.

Gen Muntu came clear on this and told the crowd that he never stole any money as an army commander for the 28 years that he served in the military. He assured the crowd that his name is clean and whoever wants can check his record.Munut wanted to mingle with the ordinary Ugandans, so he chose slums within Kampala where he is selling his presidential bid because he believes the lives of the people in the slums represents the living conditions of the majority of Ugandans who live in deplorable conditions. 

35 year old Ms Namakanga Margaret was among the most active women in the crowd of more than 300 people in two tents, others standing, who not only cheered the general but shouted her issues for him to respond to as he laid his manifesto people his potential voters. 

“I have been in this area (Kalerwe Slum) for over ten years but I cannot even educate my four children without a sponsor. My first born got pregnant at 14 years and went off with a man when she was just in P.6. We all live in that one room and the rent is high, Shs100, 000 per month. My husband is a gardener, he works so hard but all we can get is just money for food.” Laments Ms Namakanga who hails from Luweero district. 

She says she will only listen to a candidate who is willing to provide a solution to their problems and enable them access credit to boast her business in tomatoes and other vegetables which she sells at her stall in front of her shack house.A narrow path that should have been a draining sips water past her verandah.

The children play and run around a heap of dump garbage near less than ten meters away from Ssebina playground where Gen Muntu’s team organized the campaign event. 

Ms Fauzia Baluku, 30, a single mother of three sat in one of the tents with her hand in her chin. She tried to pay attention to the different ANT candidates in various positions but seemed distracted by her distant thoughts. 

“I came here to hear if their coming into leadership can give us any hope. I want to hear him talk about the education of our children. My children need bursaries or sponsorship so that they can study. My first born is in primary seven this year and I do not know how she will join secondary school. I am a street vendor but KCCA keeps chasing us away. At Kalerwe market here, I am not making enough money to cater for my children.” Explains Ms Baluku. 

She laments that there are government programmes that come to the slum dwellers but a few selected people benefit. “The Youth are always rowdy and chaotic because they are idle. Our education system does not train a child to be productive after school but rather look for jobs that are not there.” Says Mr. Mayanja Musaazi Yakubu, ANT candidate for Kampala Lord Mayor. 

Ms Rachael Mutesi, 30, a resident of Kalerwe says all her life, she has live in Kalerwe and watched with pain how the area never gets any project to clear the drainage, construct schools for children or plans for decent and affordable housing for the people. 

“How do we let people stay here in the numbers that they are and still have decent housing. Borrowing from Countries like South Africa where there are flats for the poor but they pay subsidized rates for rent or mortgage. Then Children can have a playground, the drainage can be sorted and people can live in a better and healthy environment without all this garbage piles.” Says Ms Mutesi.

She believes that for any candidate to get votes from slum dwellers, they must address the unique challenges that slum dwellers face daily. But Gen Muntu responded to most of these issues saying that the people in slums need to elect leaders who can be trusted to equitably allocate and efficiently utilize the available resources for the development of all. 

“It is possible to life the standard of living for all the people in these slums. Ensure that there is low cost housing. It has to be planned well. Some of these are public while others are private land. So it requires negotiation with the land owners to buy from them, build but you must also ensure that they have the means to pay for those mortgages. There is no way you can say that a country is developed when there are still slums in these areas.” Mr Muntu explained to the media after speaking in the local dialect to the crowd. 

He later campaigned in Kampala Central and heads to West Ankole region on Wednesday beginning with Ntugamo district. 

Muntu launches presidential campaign in slums

BY IRENE ABALO OTTO

irene.abalo@gmail.com

Alliance for National Transformation, ANT yesterday launched their Campaigns in Makindye Division with a call to Ugandans in deplorable living conditions to trust the party leadership for the change they want.

“We started our campaigns in Makindye because the lives of the people in this area reflects the lives of other people in other urban settings in this country. Even if you go to Karamoja, you find the same problems of poverty and poor service delivery in those areas.” Said Ms Winnie Kiiza, the national campaign coordinator for ANT candidate.

“Look at the issues that Ugandans have and who can solve them before you vote for any leader,” Mr. Kasim Kyaze, the Makindye incumbent MP, told crowds gathered to listen to candidates speak and lay their manifesto before them.

The party Presidential candidate, Maj Gen (Rtd) Mugisha Muntu Gregg told the people of Nsambya, gathered near Gogonya play ground that their situation reflects what majority of Ugandans are going through and it is upon them to choose the right leaders who can efficiently use taxpayers’ money for holistic development.

“I am not asking the people of Uganda to like me, I am asking you to trust me because I can be trusted. Do not put feelings in politics, it is about interest. I am not asking you to trust me out of the blue, I have been there. I served in the Military for 28 years where I saw money being carried in sacks. But you can check my records, I never stole any tax payers’ money.” Gen Muntu told the people of Nsambya.

Gen Muntu laid his campaign manifesto before over a hundred people gathered under tents and others braved the brief afternoon drizzle just to have a glance at the retired army general turned politician. 31 years ago, Muntu became a commander and Major general in the UPDF in his early 30s and is among the longest serving army generals in Uganda.

As the crowds cheered on and listened to him, there was a general confusion of his campaign slogan, People First, a New Future’ and that of former FDC Presidential Candidate, “One Uganda, One People.” The masters of ceremony were patient with people one leaders after the other, they emphasized the new slogan.

Usually, Gen Muntu would speak in his soft and diplomatic tone, but when he spoke to the people of Nsambya, he spoke with vigour and energy. His eyes creased and focused to the unknown, he labored to explain to the crowd why the current government needs to change to save Ugandans from poverty and untold suffering in the hands of security agencies who are supposed to protect them. With time, the crowd adjusted and adapted to the slogan.

Gen Muntu told the people of Nsambya not to look at development in terms of the roads, electricity and other infrastructures but the livelihoods of their fellow citizens.

“If you want to see the level of development of a country, look at the widows and orphans. Look at the most lowly people and where their level of livelihood is. That is what we want to be measured by. Not by roads. Not by might, not by power but by the levels in which we intend to lift the lives of orphans and widows. The impoverished, lift them from where they are to where they are meant to be. By God’s grace, we will achieve that.” Said Gen Muntu in a rather louder voice than the soft spoken general people are used to hearing or seeing in the media.

A mother who chaired the party president all through his speech, clutching a toddler with her left hand later followed the candidate to where he was to board his car. Shockingly, she did ask him what he will do to become president since in most elections, candidates who claim to have won complain of vote rigging.

Muntu calmly asked her and those around him to be present during vote counting so that ballots are not secretly added and counted after voting.

Flanked by his national campaign coordinator and former Leader of Opposition in Parliament Ms Winnie Kiiza, Makindye Member of Parliament contestant, Mr. Kasim Kyazze, other party flag bearers, the lively one hour interaction left many following him to his car as he boarded off to his next campaign venue in Kisenyi, a major Kampala slum.

To him, the campaign journey started in one slum but ahead awaits 145 districts who equally deserve to hear his message of peace and tranquility in his promised new future for Uganda.

The 64 days before he faces other candidates in the ballot box may come sooner than he or any other candidate wished, but Ugandans will on February vote to elect in a democratic election who their next president and parliamentarians will be.

Yesterday, the electoral commission released a complete roadmap that bears campaign schedule for Gen Muntu throughout his campaign period. He is campaigning within Kampala Central tomorrow before heading to Ntungamo district. On Sunday, Muntu’s campaign team were troubled after failing to have a harmonized campaign program at the Electoral Commission as required by law to avoid clashing with other candidates campaigning in the same area.

Inside Gen Muntu’s Manifesto and Campaign team

BY ABALO IRENE OTTO

iaotto@ug.nationmedia.com

Alliance for National Transformation, ANT on Friday unveiled a national and sub-regional campaign team that saw him launch presidential campaigns in Makindye, Kampala today ahead and the January 2021 presidential elections. 

On May 22, 2019, ANT was launched. The party has fielded a presidential candidate, Rtd Major Gen Mugisha Muntu Gregg whose slogan is, The Change You can Trust. On Friday the pasty president gave highlights of their manifesto and unveiled the 47 man campaign team planning to traverse the 146 districts of Uganda within the 65 days allocated by the Independent Electoral Commission.

The team which comprises of regional leaders including prominent leaders like Ms Alice Alaso (former Deputy President FDC), Mr. Wadri Kassiano(MP Arua City), Mr. Paul Mwiru (Jinja East MP) and Mr. Gerald Karuhanga (Ntugamo Municipality MP) is to be led by Ms Winnie Kizza, the former Leader of Opposition in Parliament as the National Campaign Manager.

“Majority of these are sub regional and district coordinators. We envisage expansion more so at the sub regional and district levels.” Rtd Maj. Gen Mugisha Muntu Gregg the ANT presidential flag bearer told the media at the party headquarters on Buganda Road in Kampala

Whereas the party planned to launch their campaign roadmap on Friday, the party president said there were hindrances and the harmonization programme with the electoral commission was incomplete. Candidates whose campaign roadmaps had not yet been harmonized are to meet the electoral commission on Saturday. Presidential campaigns are slated to begin On November 9, 2020 will end on January 12, 2020.

Ms Kizza called upon the electoral commission to ensure that there is a leveled campaign ground and the opposition candidates have equal opportunities to interact with their potential voters just like the incumbent Gen Yoweri Museveni is likely to enjoy.

“As you talk about the 70 people to be met, put a torch on NRM to ensure they also have 70 people in their gathering. If we are to practice democracy, we need to level the ground for all candidates to equally campaign.” Said Ms Winnie Kizza.

Gen Muntu also asked the people of Uganda to support the ten presidential candidates financially so that they are able to traverse the whole country within the 65 days and meet their voters.

“We are not shy about asking for money. We need money. Put money into the parties (of your choice). Do not sit back waiting for change. If each Ugandan gave Shs5, 000, that would be about two billion shilling to cushion the opposition during their campaigns.”

He added;

“Let’s leave emotions out of this election to have the change we want. Elect capable people who have value and integrity.”

Inside Muntu’s draft Manifesto

ANT Pledges to do the following in the next five years once they assume power after successful elections in 2021.

1.       Tolerance of divergent views. Respect and mobilise people to embrace national development.

2.       Preach peace and foster conflict resolution.

3.       Anti-corruption; creation of public awareness. Enforce punishment after conviction. Demonstrate exemplary leadership. Strengthen Anti-Corruption institutions to recover proceeds of corruption and make corruption very risky.

4.       Economy: Ensure there is an agricultural value chain established. Increase funding for agriculture from the current 3.5 percent in the budget up to ten percent. Reinstate cooperative bank, start an agricultural bank, and properly capitalize Uganda Development Bank. Reinstate properly managed marketing boards based on public private partnerships for key products, attract investments where Uganda has comparative advantages. Develop transport infrastructures, railways, marine services, air cargo and tourism and its facilities. Ensure prudent management of oil, gas and petrol industries. Develop all electricity sources; hydro, thermos, wind, solar.

5.       Natural resources; Increase environment conservation, the planting of 40 million trees over the next five years. Protect water sources, lakes, rivers, swamps and water catchment areas. Ensure mining, mineral beautification up to the finished product. Immediately build the oil refinery and pipeline without further procrastination.

6.       Social services; Primary and secondary education must be for all children. Vocational schools must be in all sub regions of Uganda to train for those who cannot continue to universities. District bursaries and scholarships must be on merit. Syllabus and programmes should not be segregative for rural and urban pupils and students. Provide uniform scholastic materials and teaching aids. Education should foster National Unity.

Health sector should promote primary care alongside curative measures. Equip hospitals and health centres and ensure medicines are stocked. Reduce brain drain of health professionals and reduce medical tourism by government officials and use the funds to equip hospitals and remunerate the workers well.

7.       Related Development services: Recreation, awareness, participation, civic education, encourage sports, music, dance competitive festivals, encourage cultural competitions like cooking traditional dishes, encourage community development centres with libraries, encourage gender equality, balance and equality for both girl and boy children, women in leadership, care for the elderly person, make sure there is medical insurance for all Ugandans and National Social Security Fund for all workers.

8.       Foreign Affairs; encourage economic diplomacy, respect the concept of territoriality, reciprocity, national interests, pan Africanism, foster advancement of peace, human rights and conflict resolution. Observe ratified conventions, fully implement the diaspora compendium, dual citizenship, vote rights and investment at home.

9.       Armed Force; promote civil-military relations, professionalise the forces, involve the armed forces in economic production to improve welfare. Make sure the armed forces are in the barracks and not used for political interest of leaders.

10.   Local Government; The Local Government Act must be fully implemented to build capacity of local governments to be productive and sustainable. Increase funds for essential services, popularize local governments to serve people and make systems work for improvement of revenue collection.

“Human capital shall be the core focus of our manifesto implementation. Uganda is not the same under our leadership. We hope for rapid social economic and political development. People First, A New Future,” General Muntu concluded as he read out part of the draft manifesto yet to be launched ahead of their campaign trail.  

Muntu chooses Winnie Kizza as his national campaign manager

BY IRENE ABALO OTTO

Rtd Maj. General Mugisha Muntu Gregg has officially declared former Leader of Opposition in Parliament Ms Winnie Kizza as the national campaign manager in his presidential campaign as he plans to traverse the country for votes within two and a half months of the campaign period. Muntu believes Ms Kizza has energy for the youth to demand for change and trust for equitable distribution of resources and development.

“Youth, you have the numbers. Use these numbers to bring change to this country with discipline and focus,” Said General Muntu while addressing his supporters and some members of the Alliance for National Transformation for which he is the presidential flag bearer at the party headquarters on Buganda Road, Kampala.

Gen Muntu said the campaign will mainly focus on building confidence and trust in the leadership of Uganda by restoring dignity and involving the youth in the affairs of the country.

His campaign kick starts on November 9, 2020 after presenting his manifesto to the nation with a formidable campaign team to travel throughout the country. Muntu has the backing of other leaders like Ms Alice Alaso who accompanied him to the nomination centre at Kyambogo University ground during the day.

He is the first flag bearer for Alliance for National Transformation, ANT. He was all smiles as he walked side by side with his wife Mrs. Julia Kakonge Muntu. General Muntu’s was yesterday was given a green light and duly nominated as a candidate to contest as a presidential candidate for the 2021 general elections by 3:40pm.

“Today, we start a journey of making history. To all Ugandans, we ask you to trust us and give us your votes. You will not be disappointed,” Said Muntu after his nomination.  

He looked jovial and calm throughout the nomination process. He easily moved through the traffic clear Jinja road to Kyambogo University Nomination grounds with his wife Mrs. Julia Kakonge Muntu by his side.

Despite being a year and six months old party, ANT so far has about 185 duly nominated candidates for various political offices with 126 vying for parliamentary seats. Gen Muntu believes that a value driven campaign with his team is what will bring trust and win him the presidency.