JUNE NEWSLETTER: THE NEXT WAVE OF COVID CASES HITS UGANDA
In the midst of the Covid shutdown in Uganda we held a Mama Rescue Training to ensure transport for women in labor.
For the past 18 months, the entire world has struggled to address the Covid pandemic. It's been a long and hard year for many of us who have had to deal with the loss of family or friends and the social isolation and economic hardship that has come with this crisis. Here in the US, there is cause for hope, as we approach 70% of Americans who have received at least one dose of the vaccine.
Yet as I send this newsletter, Uganda and much of sub-Saharan Africa is gripped in yet another wave of rising Covid infections and deaths. Just two months ago Uganda was seeing 200 cases a day; this week that number will rise to over 1000, 1564 in the last 24 hours. Deaths are on the rise as well as Ugandan hospitals are increasingly overwhelmed with patients. In 2019, there were 12 functional ICUs in Uganda with over 80% of them located in the capital city of Kampala. There are only 55 functional ICU beds in the entire country of 40 million people. 1 Oxygen is desperately in short supply; if the increase in cases continues, the need for oxygen will rise 9 times in just the next month.
Last week, Uganda's President Museveni, ordered another complete shutdown of the country. With the limitations on transportation and the prohibition on all meetings, our vital work to improve the health of mothers and children is directly impacted. Every day our Babies and Mothers Alive Program staff is adjusting to the rapidly changing circumstances on the ground, ensuring our communities are not abandoned and receive the services they need. This morning at our staff meeting I learned from our Director of Programs, Dr. Eleanor Nakintu, just a few of the measures we are taking in the face of this crisis.
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Our Mama Ambassador Program, serving adolescent mothers, is shifting from facility-based peer support groups to home visits to each of the 1000 mothers and babies in this program.
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We have increased our focus on Sexual and Gender-based Violence, which we know increases in times of crisis, working with local government to ensure that women in need receive support services and that perpetrators are brought to justice.
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Our Mama Rescue Program, linking women in labor to local motorcycle and automobile taxis is moving forward addressing a major barrier to access to quality maternal and newborn care at our partnering health facilities. This is especially urgent during the lockdown which disproportionately impacts poor, rural families.
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We are working alongside the Ministry of Health and the district governments to ensure that Covid safety measures are being practiced. Our radio health campaigns continue to spread the message to stay safe and save lives.
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With US Government support, our Family Planning Program continues to provide access to modern contraception to women in need.
It is not a mystery why sub-Saharan Africa is lagging behind in addressing the health needs of its people. If we believe that quality health care is a human right then we all must take responsibility to ensure equal access to that care. On June 10th, President Biden announced that the US Government will donate 500 million vaccine doses to low and middle-income countries over the next year. It's a great start but it's not enough. In Uganda, only 0.1% of the population is fully vaccinated.
Our staff and partners are asking that you reach out to your Representatives in Congress and Senators and ask that they support the global campaign to vaccinate everyone, regardless of where they live or their economic status. You can find your representative or senator by clicking the links below.
Your support throughout the year makes our work possible, and for that, we are very grateful.
Stay safe and strong,
The Staff of Brick by Brick
1: Atumanyaa, P, Sendagirea C, et al. Assessment of the current capacity of intensive care units in Uganda; A descriptive study Journal of Critical Care Volume 55, February 2020, Pages 95-99
