Residents of Mukono municipality have expressed concerns following the loss of three local council chairpersons due to COVID-19.
Three chairpersons, Angello Nsereko, the LC I chairperson of Bugujju cell, George Ssekandi of Lweza cell and George William Ssekakubo of Total cell succumbed to COVID-19 within a period of two weeks.
Mukono district COVID-19 task force in response to the second wave of the pandemic, resorted to the training of Village Health Teams-VHTs and LC I chairpersons to monitor and report suspected COVID-19 death for examination before they are buried.
However, the team in charge of examinations is overwhelmed by the many COVID-19 cases. Muhammad Wasswa Takwana, the LC I chairperson of Ggulu Cell A in Mukono Central Division, says that the situation is out of their hands after seeing their colleagues dying helplessly.
Adding that much as they were tasked with the sole responsibility of reporting cases in their communities, they are risking lives since the district surveillance team cannot handle the surging cases.
Data from the Mukono Resident District Commissioners’ office indicates that they have registered 568 positive COVID-19 cases and 24 deaths from April raising the figure to 30 since the outbreak of the disease.
Now, local leaders claim that many cases go unreported in their communities especially in families that cannot afford ambulance fees to transport patients to g hospitals in Kampala and Wakiso districts.
They say that the few who can access facilities such as Mulago hospital and Namboole lack funds for treatment.
Although the district designated Mukono general hospital, Kojja Health Center IV, Naggalama and Mukono Church of Uganda Hospitals to offer free COVID-19 testing for people with symptoms, many of those found positive are left to return to their homes for self-medication.
Residents now believe that with the passing of the LC1 leaders some cases and deaths may go undetected.
