FOR $10 HELP HEALTH SYSTEMS RESILIENCE TO CLIMATE

As different countries grapple with COVID-19, stringent measures which was the main strategy aimed at controlling its spread were put in place. This was mainly in form of total lock down and many people lost jobs permanently. Most of the post COID 19 mental health issues we are observing are related to job losses. We are handling more than 50 cases of mental health issues ranging from severe depression, anxiety disorders to suicidal tendencies. Many parents could not send children back to school and a number of children also refused to relocate to schools they are not used to. An abridged report written by the Makerere University-based think tank, the Economic Policy Research Centre (EPRC), lays bare the fullest and most detailed insight to date into the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the related lockdowns on the micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in the country.

The report titled 'The socio-economic impact of Covid-19 on business enterprises in Uganda', found that many permanent businesses closed due to direct and indirect Covid-19-related factors. Covid-19 episodes also resulted in intermittent business closure of complete and partial nature. At the onset of Covid-19 in March 2020, the complete business closure rate was higher at 67 per cent compared to the partial business closure rate of 11 per cent.

By the end of the second Covid-19 lockdown, businesses had not regained their pre-Covid-19 conditions, and the second lockdown reversed the progress of business and/or economic activity recovery, according to the EPRC report. Enterprise performance was weakened throughout the Covid-19 episodes with the most severe effects felt in the hospitality and education sectors as well as in micro and small enterprises.

The study also examines the adverse effect of Covid-19 and related restrictions on employment which was felt through the loss of jobs and wage cuts. Overall, jobs in the MSMEs under the study reduced from 1,026,000 to 601,000, representing a share of 41 per cent or 425,000 jobs lost.

Of these, 241,000 jobs were lost between the period before Covid-19 and the end of the first Covid 19 lockdown, and 184,000 jobs were lost between the first lockdown (from the end of the first lockdown period) and the second lockdown.

Most people employed in schools were laid off due to school closure (particularly private schools were hit hardest), and tourism or hospitality because of the low sharp decline in tourist arrivals, complete closure of bars and restaurants, and low demand for hotel services

The post COVID 19 recovery was also made worse by another economic crisis caused mainly as a result of the war between Russia and Ukraine that affected the fuel prices and in the end food prices. Food is usually moved from one part of the country to another depending on the region that is harvesting food at particular times. There are many more people in the communities still not identified who are battling serious mental health issues. We need more support to reach out to as many people as possible.

One of the preventive measures we have initiated is to give support to people with non-communicable diseases especially Diabetes and Hypertension. We realized may people are getting stroke as a result of uncontrolled hypertension. A number of them also die and some develop severe diabetic complications because of lack of income after losing their jobs.  The challenges are extremely huge and we need more support from partners and friends to help the vulnerable people.