(How? Through provision of relevant and timely information; sensitization drives with the teams in the COVID-19 Lab and staff at the facility; Building ambassadors of robust change)
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a global pandemic that led to loss of lives. This deadly virus that claimed the lives of many, including medical workers also disrupted the normal way of living, with governments all over the world declaring lockdowns of varying degrees, restricting movement and travel, banning social gatherings, closing universities, schools, businesses, and churches. In developing countries such as Uganda, where most of the population survives not on savings or income from investments, but on day to day struggles to earn a living, it led to escalating poverty levels. This fragile situation coupled with loss of jobs, fear of death and loss of hope culminated in public anxiety with many Ugandans having limited access to authentic information.
The COVID-19 pandemic was characterized by limited information about the management of the disease, its treatment and home care services, particularly during the early stages of the outbreak. This created tension and panic among Ugandans leading to a proliferation of myths and misconceptions about the virus with dire consequences on the implementation of preventive and mitigation measures. In Uganda, it is common knowledge that some sections within the population classified COVID-19 as “a political” disease. This is because the Presidential campaigns were approaching. When the President of Uganda, H.E Yoweri K. Museveni would address the nation via different media platforms with public health messages restricting movements and social gatherings, some Ugandans and politicians perceived it as a political strategy in favour of the National Resistance Movement (NRM), which was already dominant.
Public health research proves that provision of adequate and timely information is very important in the fight against any disease, more so in outbreaks the magnitude of COVID-19 pandemic. Lack of information breeds myths and conceptions as some people exploit the information gap to spread falsehoods for selfish reasons.
It was a blessing when a Makerere University student, Atwine Mukama Tayebwa, pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences majoring in Biochemistry joined the fight against the spread of myths, misconceptions and falsehoods about COVID-19. Atwine Mukama Tayebwa’s One Health intervention focused on sensitization through increased dissemination of knowledge about COVID-19 and creation of social support and empowerment groups.
During his One Health field attachment at ANCA Biotech Limited, a COVID-19 testing facility that offers clinical and laboratory services in Bugoloobi, Kampala District, Tayebwa worked with the different teams at the facility to intervene in the fight against COVID-19. Through interviews and discussions with the medical, security, housekeeping, transport, customer care and finance teams on the challenges they had each faced in fighting COVID-19, it was discovered that misperception about the available information existed. He therefore identified the need to sensitize the public and provide the most appropriate information in the fight against COVID-19.
“Through my community assessment, I identified knowledge gaps in the fight against COVID-19. This was specifically in the areas of vaccination, understanding the signs and symptoms of the new Delta Variant and home-based methods to use to boost one’s immunity against the virus. There were also several individual misconceptions in the community about the virus, some rendering it as a myth, witchcraft and others a ‘political disease’. We believe that providing the public with timely and credible information with appropriate interpretation is very essential to improve the public’s understanding of the virus.” Tayebwa mentioned.
During his engagement with the teams at the facility, the community was actively involved in the fight against COVID-19, and on a daily basis, the community fearlessly put its right foot forward in the fight to end the pandemic. He said the intervention programme offered the community a platform to actively implement workable solutions in their unique roles towards the fight against COVID-19.
Tayebwa then embarked on sensitization of the different staff at the facility through more increased dissemination of information about COVID-19, and creation of social support / empowerment groups to not only positively impact this specific community, but also be ambassadors of robust change and sensitization to their individual communities. Together, they developed sensitization materials, to share with their respective communities where they came from.
He emphasized the need to address the challenge of knowledge gaps on COVID-19 in the various communities and with various personnel. He appreciated the multi-disciplinary and multi-professional approach in the fight against COVID-19. He said the sensitization programs would empower the community members to be active ambassadors in the fight against COVID-19, not only at the clinic and laboratory facility, but in the different communities they individually came from.
“To ensure that this programme continues to benefit the community, I have shared my intervention measures with the facility and community leadership as well as other stakeholders. The sensitization materials will continuously be updated to ensure that they are always up to standard and are therefore approved to continuously be in circulation within the community and even beyond.” Tayebwa remarked.
As a student, Tayebwa said that the One Health intervention program sharpened his leadership, teamwork, communication, and research skills. He added that when he went on ground, he experienced a genuine feeling of the challenges people where facing in the fight against the pandemic, and thus the ability to generate realistic interventions and solutions.
He commended Makerere University and the One Health Institute under AFROHUN for the opportunity granted to him to apply his knowledge and skills in giving back to the community. He was so grateful to his supervisor, Dr. Anthony Mugeere for the guidance provided to him during his 2-week attachment.