Sheema/Kampala – The Chairman of Sheema Development Association (SDA), Johnson Musinguzi Byarabaha, has called on people hailing from Sheema district and all Ugandans of goodwill to contribute generously to the noble cause of ensuring that frontline workers especially health workers are not put in danger of contracting Covid-19.
Musinguzi says that in order for these health workers to keep doing their work, they have to be helped and provided with several needs that will ease their work and protect them from contracting this deadly Covid-19 pandemic.
“We ask you to contribute and your contributions will benefit all health workers in our hospitals, health centre IVs and IIIs in the entire Sheema district,” he said.
He said that they need about Shs51,351,627 to be able to purchase the required gadgets and equipment necessary to protect health workers in the above health units against the Covid-19 pandemic.
Some of the required gadgets include; Oxygen regulator cylinder mounted, face shields, aprons-plastic reusable, ordinary gumboots, safety glasses, theatre masks (disposable), surgical respiratory masks-N95, Hand Sanitizer dispenser (automatic). The others are; pulse oximeter (handheld with charger), patient monitor, hand sanitiser with spray pump, surgical gloves-sterile, gloves-non sterile (large disposable), automatic ventilator with accessories, patient bed with drip stand, bedsheets, blanket cellular hospital quality blue.
The others include; mattress with PVC Cover, wheelchair, a stretcher portable and washable, instrument trolley-3 shelves, waste bins, suction pump, infrared thermometer, weighing scale with height measure, nasal cannula and liquid detergent. Musinguzi added that all the above equipment is needed within two weeks to be able to have them delivered.
“As SDA, we are glad to be at the frontline of helping our health workers,” he said. He urged all those with contributions of any kind to channel it to; Account name: Sheema Development Association, Account No: 76323 in Muhame Financial Services or mobile money No: 0772676087 in the name of Wilfreds Katobe “We thank you for the support and those with equipment, food etc are also welcome,” he said.
Musinguzi remarks follow reports that many districts especially in Greater Luwero, Masaka and Mukono are struggling to control the spread of COVID-19 among health workers. According to COVID 19 status reports, at least 21 health workers in Nakasongola have contracted COVID-19.
In Lyantonde and Kyotera districts 26 and 18 health workers are also battling the virus respectively. One health worker in Kyotera district has succumbed to COVID-19. A total of 105 health workers from Mukono, Buikwe, Kayunga and Buvuma districts have also contracted the virus.
At least 16 health workers at Entebbe Regional Referral Hospital have also contracted COVID-19 and one succumbed to the disease. The District Health Officials say some health workers have contracted the virus at their places of work over lack of Personal Protective Equipment-PPE and failure to observe SOPs while treating patients as well as interacting with people outside the health centres.
Dr. Moses Nkanika, the Lyantonde District Health Officer says that the high transmission of coronavirus has demoralized the staff as well as scaring away patients from accessing health facilities.
Mukono district has since lost two health workers who include the head of the district lab technicians William Mule, who was attached to Kojja Health Center IV and Teddy Namuddu, the theatre assistant at Mukono general hospital.