AMREF's provided leadership to face hygiene, behaviour enablers of Covid-19 - community managers

Munamasaka Zziwa Charles, Amref Uganda Kawempe division community manager says that AMREF has been instrumental in motivating people to fight against COVID. Where the virus had become a silent killer, giving people a false sense of security, Amref has united them to revive measures that had previously reduced cases.

And with the Ebola outbreak, the Hygiene and Behavioural Change Coalition (HBCC) training Amref conducted at Tik Hotel could not have come at a more perfect time. With new and improved knowledge however, have come challenges, some of which have forced them to use extreme measures.

Zziwa, is also the administrator of "Maama Sarah" market in Kalerwe, and vice chairperson of Trade Order that oversees the operation of the 22 markets in Kalerwe. These markets have been marked as hotspots of the spread of infectious diseases.

According to him, prior to AMREF's renewed fight against COVID, residents had relaxed in getting vaccinated and wearing masks. He commends AMREF for providing leadership in the fight because they had been facing resistance from their colleagues. Introducing hand washing as part of the preventive measures, in addition to sanitiser, has been a game changer.

Behavioural challenges

Speaking at the AMREF HBCC activation at Kampala Capital City Authority offices Kawempe division, Zziwa said that their biggest challenge has been changing people's mindsets from looking at COVID as a political weapon and not as a public health concern.

With some of the people accusing them of being paid to push a government agenda, they have had to put in place harsh measures to motivate compliance.

"We have taken culprits who have defied SOPs and made an example out of them. Since the markets are highly populated with over 10,000 people, diseases easily spread. So we cannot afford to have some people not following the SOPs and putting others at risk. Once we suspend one person, the rest fall in line for fear of the same," Zziwa said.

AMREF is collaborating with community managers to amplify personal hygiene and responsibility, through hand washing, vaccination, wearing masks and spacing, to boost individual and community health.

Originally geared towards fighting Covid-19, HBCC has a compound impact on other infectious diseases notably Ebola.

However, some people insist that these diseases are being 'made up' despite the life toll that keeps rising. In addition, according to Zziwa their efforts do not get much respect because of the familiarity they have around the area.

So it has been very helpful to have teams of new faces show up and be taken seriously in implementing HBCC.

The Mayor's office Kawempe division

Also in attendance at the activation was Kawempe division Mayor representative, Baaka Job Musisi, one of the trainees who attended the HBCC training at Tik hotel.

"The training was a wake up call for me. I remember learning how to wash my hands effectively, previously I had been washing hands in a way that would put the next person I touch at risk," Musisi said.

Amref and its partners are in the second phase of the HBCC. Until March 2023, they are carrying out activations to permeate communities in Kampala and Wakiso districts, to increase awareness of health measures against Covid-19.

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