The Minister of Health Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng has commended residents of Kampala for making use of the current lockdown to get involved in physical exercises which she says will keep them fit and help fight non communicable diseases.
The Minister made the comments on Sunday 5 in a public message posted on her Twitter account with regard to the growing number of City dwellers who have turned to the Capital’s deserted roads to work out.
“I notice people are taking advantage of the stay home to do physical exercises to keep fit and fight NCDs. I salute you for that,” Aceng tweeted.
She however cautioned them on being cautious with the way they converge as it could turn into a soft gap for the spread of COVID19.
“Keep a distance of at least 4 meters from your team members,” advised the Minister.
The Minister’s remarks come in the wake of public concerns over the influx of people witnessed along major roads around the city every day, with many fearing that the converging health conscious town dwellers might lead to uncontrolled spread of the deadly Coronavirus.
In a telephone interview with this news website, Kampala metropolitan police spokesperson, SP. Patrick Onyango said that for now, the people should be left to continue doing their physical practice as they wait for a report from the officials tasked by the President to look into how best they can be managed.
“I refer you to the latest President’s address where he directed the chief of logistics to come up with a report on how to manage the group while also prioritising their safety, ” said Onyango.
In our interface with some of the groups that had turned out for the practices which have become a routine since the stay home campaign started, we were told that the work out is intended to keep their bodies fit and health in preparation for a possible attack of Coronavirus.
“We the old people have been told that were the most vulnerable to the disease because of our body weaknesses. I believe that these practices can strengthen my body’s ability to fight the virus should it attack me,” said a 63 year old Samuel Ntambi, a resident of Kabumbi, in Nansana Municipality, who had turned up for the practice at Nabweeru play ground.
Some also said that besides working out to keep fit, the practices are intended to keep them busy as a result of being kept home for days, a life many say they are not accustomed to.
“Spending two weeks at home doing nothing would be too boring to stand since many of us are not used to it. Besides, just sitting and eating without doing any work would most likely make you grow fat and attract diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure,” says Annet Mutesi, a primary school teacher.
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