Activists want Covid-19 fight to focus on nourishing spiritual health

Social activists have said as the government continues with the fight against Covid-19, focus should not only be on private health but also on freedoms being infringed upon people’s mental and spiritual health.

In a virtual town hall meeting, the activists also raised alarm regarding making Covid-19 vaccination mandatory saying this goes against the medical oath and neglects consideration of people's beliefs, religious wise and body capability.

Eva Mugisa, a pharmacist, said the governments can acknowledge religious places divine and should not use them to manipulate and push agendas that go against human rights and consent all in the name of enforcing standard operating procedures.

“The hippocratic oath binds medical workers like me not to harm and to uphold consent and confidentiality. This oath gives legitimacy due to its respect to submission to divinity but we didn't see this upheld during these "waves”, she said.

Mugisa said Covid-19 is not a military threat and therefore the management of this pandemic must be from a medical point of view and diagnosis.

“We should not focus only on private health, the freedoms and rights being infringed affect our Mental and Spiritual health. Some SOPs are non-scientific and not proven to be efficacious example masks, ”she said.

Anne Tendo, a human rights lawyer said the lockdown in Uganda never favoured anyone because the citizens have not been given any freedom in regards to religion and worship.

"It's been so harsh for the young people below 12 years of age and the elderly as our government instructed that they are not allowed to attend church services. This came after naming places of worship as super spreaders of Covid-19," said Tendo.

Sean Nelson from the ADF International,USA said that freedom of worship is one of the few rights considered non-derogable and this means that even in times of emergency it cannot be done away with.

"You just cannot treat believers unfairly more than any other group of people. Their rights and freedoms are protected and should be upheld even in an emergency. We have set the precedent. You cannot keep places of worship closed because of perceived emergency," he said.

He said there are concerns about the discriminatory enforcement of SOPs on places of worship.

"For example, places of worship were kept closed much longer than other places including businesses and market places. It is rather suspicious," Nelson said.