Why poor Ugandans are losing Covid fight
July 7, 2021 Children wearing makeshift face masks. Photo credit: @MakomaNation
Across the country, many people with Covid-19, especially the poor, are staying away from hospitals. The fear of financial ruin from hospital bills has kept many away – preferring instead to lean on private home medical care and natural treatment regimens.
More than a respiratory infection, Covid-19 has laid bare our dire financial straits and the shortcomings of government’s preparedness and response to the pandemic. Many impoverished people lack access or cannot afford the basics, which can shield them from infection, despite billions of shillings spent.