Experts puzzled by Ugandans' complacency towards coronavirus

The overcrowding in downtown Kampala amid coronavirus outbreak pandemic is worrying ministry of Health officials. 
 
The permanent secretary ministry of Health, Dr Diana Atwine says following the partial easing of the lockdown on Tuesday when private cars were allowed back on the road after more than two months, Ugandans have become even more complacent and are not adhering to coronavirus prevention methods.
 
Atwine warns that there is likely to be a spike in the number of people testing positive for COVID-19 following the partial easing of the lockdown. Uganda currently has 329 confirmed coronavirus cases with 72 recoveries and no deaths yet. 
 
Atwine says ministry of Health surveillance teams are reporting overcrowding in many places especially in downtown Kampala and food markets which make it hard for physical distancing to be respected. Atwine added that many people are also not wearing face masks while in public. 

She says after all surveillance teams from various parts of the country hand in their reports this weekend, the ministry will brainstorm on how best to move forward especially on which modalities can populated places like markets and business centres adopted to respect issues like social distancing.

The plan, she said, is to invite in proposals and guidance from sister agencies like Kampala City Council Authority (KCCA) and other expert institutions like Makerere University. 

Experts at Makerere University have already criticized the ministry for lifting strategies that are being used elsewhere into Uganda yet countries have different social and economic setups. 

Dr Joseph Matovu, a behavioural scientist and senior research associate at Makerere's school of public health calls for homegrown interventions that are zeroed on putting into consideration of local workplaces. 

Experts fear that overcrowding will even get worse once arcades and public transport are reopened next week on June 4. 

In an earlier interview, Dr Daniel Okello KCCA acting director for public health and environment said they were working on new policies for arcades among which is requiring every arcade owner to hire surveillance personnel for each of the arcades to monitor people entering and exiting.