Learn to live with Covid, says minister Aceng

The Ministry of Health has said schools will not be closed again when learners return today despite the increase in Covid-19 new infections in the country.

Dr Jane Ruth Aceng, the Minister of Health, instead urged Ugandans to learn to live with Covid-19 because it will not go away for at least the next two years.

“As we reopen school on Monday, (today), the government is not going to close the schools again over the rising cases of the third wave of Covid -19. We have lost a lot during the two years when the schools were closed. So, we need to work hard to recover [from the effects of Covid-19 pandemic],” Dr Aceng, who is also the Lira City MP, said on Thursday last week.

She made the remarks at a ceremony where she awarded the best male and female learners in last year’s Primary Leaving Examination (PLE) in Lira City. 

“Coronavirus is not going away, but we should learn to live and coexist with it by getting vaccinated and observing the standard operating procedures,” she added.

Dr Aceng said poverty and the virus were the two greatest enemies of the people, which caused a lot of suffering during the two lockdowns.

“This was the reason President Museveni decided to fully reopen the economy because he had promised earlier that whether people are vaccinated or not he would open up in January because the two lockdowns have greatly affected our economy,” she said.

The minister said the President also directed her ministry to start giving a third booster dose to teachers, especially those with underlying medical conditions and those above 50 years.

“I have already taken my third shot, and I am appealing to you teachers to get the third shot before you go back to school. After some time, we shall go for the fourth shot,” she said.

Dr Aceng also said despite the surge in new infections, hospitalisation and death from Covid -19, statistics show that those who are dying are the unvaccinated ones.  She donated 100 mattresses to students who will be joining Senior One

The minister said she was surprised to read in the newspaper that more than 200 teachers in Lira City had forged Covid -19 vaccination cards.

During the Thursday event, Dr Aceng donated 100 mattresses to students who will be joining Senior One on Monday.

At least two students from each of the 44 Universal Primary School (UPE) schools in Lira City received a mattress, two bars of laundry soap. In addition, the best 10 candidates received extra mattresses and a metallic suitcase.

Their head teachers and parents were given Kitenge materials as a token of appreciation for their hard work in looking after the children amidst Covid-19 during the exams. She also donated hand washing facilities to 25 primary schools that emerged as the best in PLE in Lira City.