Dr Diana Atwine, is Uganda’s Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary. She has defended a decision by government to extend the lockdown by three weeks [21 days].
The first lockdown, that became effective on 1, April 2020, expires Tuesday, midnight.
On Tuesday, 14 April 2020, President Museveni who was speaking to the nation for the 10th time on coronavirus cases in Uganda, among many decisions, extended the lockdown for more 21 days, effective tomorrow Wednesday, 15 April.
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With some Ugandans still divided by the decision to extend lockdown, Dr Atwine has spoken out, basically to ‘clarify’.
“Our people, we should appreciate that there’s nothing more important than life. Like HE. Kaguta Museveni said, coronavirus is a war. It’s not about convenience but survival. We need to understand the pandemic we are dealing with and follow the guidelines if we are to manage.”
“We should not take the risky path. It can end up being overwhelming for our health workforce and other resources. We should choose prevention over treatment of COVID19. These measures might be inconveniencing but less costly, safer and more reliable in the long run. #StayHome,” she added.
The Permanent Secretary, made the ‘clarification’ using her official Facebook and Twitter handles, Tuesday.
As of Tuesday, Uganda’s total confirmed coronavirus cases remain at 54, with eight recoveries and four people have so far been discharged.
