Event Date/s
Event Details
Makerere University School of Public Health Cordially invites the general public to attend an experts informative dialogue on home-based care for COVID-19 in Uganda that will take place on Wednesday 7th July 2021 between 1:00-2:30PM EAT.
The speakers are;
Prof. Pauline Byakika 
Prof. Pauline Byakika, MBChB, MSc CEB, M. Med, Ph. D, is a Ugandan specialist physician, internist, epidemiologist, academic and researcher. She serves as an Associate Professor of Medicine at Makerere University College of Health Sciences, she is currently the Head of Medicine Department. During the Seminar Prof. Byakika will focus on the needs of patients during home care for COVID-19.
Dr. Upenytho George
Dr. Upenytho George, is a healthcare practitioner, specializing as a Public Health Medicine specialist, in Uganda. Dr. Upenytho will discuss the role of Ministry of Health in supporting home based care for COVID-19 patients.
MODERATOR: Dr. Elizabeth Ekirapa Kiracho
Dr. Elizabeth Ekirapa is the Head, Department of Health Policy Planning and Management at Makerere University School of Public Health. She holds two master’s degrees in public health and Health Economics MPH (HE), as well as a doctorate in health systems research from Trinity College Dublin.
Zoom Link:
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 954 3992 0129
About Home based care for COVID-19 in Uganda
Ever since the epidemic started, the Ministry of Health (MOH) issued a policy to admit all COVID-19 patients in health care facilities. In Uganda, the epidemic has expanded, and the health care system is constrained by the fast-growing number of positive cases that get admitted to health care facilities.
To ease the constraint posed on the health facilities, the Uganda Ministry of Health (MOH) has provided an option of advising some categories of COVID 19 patients to undergo isolation and care at their homes. For example, asymptomatic patients or those with mild disease or those who are not at risk of developing severe disease can undergo home-based isolation and care not to overwhelm the health facilities.
Importance of home-based isolation and care standards/guidance Suppose a COVID 19 patient is assessed and advised to undergo isolation at home, he or she has the responsibility to stay at home and away from other people to prevent the spread of the virus to others who might include family members, friends, and the wider community. More precautions should be taken to stay away from the vulnerable individuals who might be in the home.
The vulnerable include the elderly (above 60 years) or people with impaired immunity due to other illnesses like diabetes, HIV/AIDS, cancer, and other chronic illnesses (like high blood pressure, chronic kidney disease, and chronic lung diseases). Strict adherence to the home isolation guidance will significantly reduce the overall amount of infection any household member could pass on to others in the community. 01. 02. 03.
