As in many places in the world, Covid 19 seems to be on its return, in Africa, and in Uganda are we now in the second wave. This wave is worse than the first one.... In many boarding schools were outbreaks and two weeks ago, the President closed all the schools again and a stream of people tried to get to heir homes, up country. The president also locked up all the districts, so nobody could travel outside their district, public transport was stopped. In two days, all the schools in Kampala tried to get transport home, it was chaos, people slept on the bus stations, trying to get a seat. The busses were only allowed to fill up half, and the bus fares doubled...
The new infection rate is high and many people are dying. The prices in the private hospitals are outrageous and the normal hospitals and health centres are running out of oxygen. So last week the lockdown was tightened, no bodaboda's no private vehicles and no churches and any social gathering allowed. Bodaboda's are bicycle or motor taxi's who will bring you anywhere you want, so only walking is left and the bicycle, if you have one.. There is a curfew from 7 pm till 5.30 am. And you better be of the street, because the police and the army are on patrol, if they get you, they can be very violent...
The end of March, most of the staff went for their first vaccination, they were given in Soroti hospital. The beginning of June we went for the second one. half of the team was lucky to get it, but when I went the next day with the second group, they were finished. Hopefully they can get their second vaccination this coming week, because I heard they have new vaccines.
Last week we had a staff meeting and we discussed the situation, the staff who normally lives outside Amecet, lived in Amecet staff house during the first wave. They were just all back home again. We offered accommodation in case they would like to come to live inside Amecet again. One by one they asked if they could come back inside Amecet. I was happy with that, because it is so much safer. So our staff house and Amun house is full again.
Two days ago we got a visitor from Kampala, he came to check on our home, how we were coping with the Covid situation in Amecet. He came from the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development. Since we are a registered home, under the Ministry of GLSW, we have to follow their guidelines. I think we do quite well, we do not receive visitors normally, we wash the hands, we disinfect all the time and we are mostly in the home. We wear face masks outside Amecet and only some of us do the shopping. We take our temperature and we look after each other...
We do take new children in Amecet, only cases which are really in need of help. We let the people come into the compound and we talk with them under the mango tree. One of the staff comes with a blanket and we undress the baby and the baby goes inside in our blanket.
This week two new baby's came, Paul (left) and Silas.
Paul's mother has a mental illness and she killed before one of her children. She tried to strangle Paul and the people were fearing for his life, there is no father... Silas his mother passed away, which was such a shock to the family, they asked if we could help.... It happened two week after the delivery and Silas had lost weight and was weak.
We can not go on home visits, we can not bring children back home outside our District, so the children we have now, will stay until the Lockdown is over, which is 42 days
We ask your prayers for our country, for the medical personnel, but also for us in Amecet, for the staff and for the leadership, that we will take the right decisions.
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Norwegian media has told about the situasjon in UGANDA AND I HAVE YOU ALL IN MY PRAYERS ,you do a fantastic wor for the children and your families ,good you take care of each oyher, it is also importent ,will never forget you..GOD BLESS OVER ALL OF YOU.