OPINION: Uganda’s solutions to managing coronavirus are proving more disastrous than the pandemic itself

By Ian Ortega

I expect that when Museveni comes to address us, he begins to paint a picture of how we move on amidst the virus.

As of now, our solutions to managing this pandemic are proving more disastrous than the virus itself. Poor countries cannot afford lockdowns. Lockdowns are a luxury only the rich can afford.

We need a Ugandan solution for COVID-19. As of now, our attempts have all been solutions we’ve copied and pasted.

We need a solution that recognizes we are poor and our lives also need to move on amidst the virus.

Every expert argued that the virus will require us to have massive ICU capacities. That has not held true at least for the cases we have. A good number have been asymptomatic. Even those with symptoms have not required any form of mechanical ventilation.

So here we are, bringing the country to a standstill over a virus that they have proven more suited to fight.

We may sooner or later pick a leaf from Tanzania. Nothing is locked down yet the numbers are not alarming.

Now they could be lying. But that doesn’t matter. Life still moves on. When all is said and done, Tanzania will come out with a stronger economy than all the other EA countries.

It is not the virus that will kill us. It is our reaction to this virus. We must rethink our reaction as soon as possible.

For now it seems like the government wants to seem like it is doing something and the only way to do that is to keep giving directives. It is hard fighting pandemics in times of social media.