Experts call for concerted effort in the fight against Covid-19 in East Africa

Experts have called for regional collaboration in fighting against the Covid-19 pandemic that has ravaged the world for the last ten months.

The call was made during the opening of the third edition of the Geopolitics Conference that seeks to find solutions and foster public discussion on matters that shape the future.

The conference was relayed live on NBS television.

Experts said through information and policy sharing and pooling of intervention resources, the region can jointly fight this deadly virus.

Beatrice Kiraso, the former deputy secretary general at the East African Community, emphasised the need for the region to come together in the fight against the pandemic.

“If there was regional coherence in approach to policies and togetherness, our countries could have taken certain actions together in a more coordinated manner and I think the approach could have produced a little better results,” she said.

"When you look at the constraints on the continent, you find that our health systems are not so developed. Thank God the impact of Covid-19 wasn't so bad. If there was togetherness in East Africa, certain actions against Covid-19 would have been taken jointly,"she added.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) Uganda Country Representative ,Dr. Yonas Tegegn, said African states should not only pay attention to strengthening their sovereignty but also concerted effort to combat the Covid-19 pandemic.

Tegegn praised Uganda for relentless efforts and measures taken to fight the spread of Covid-19.

"When we see the evolution of Covid-19 in Uganda, the lockdown and early measures were key in containing the potential increase in cases. It allowed the government to get ready,"he said.

He said he was very proud of the transparency in Uganda where health practitioners share with the people whatever they know, something that has contributed greatly to the fight against the pandemic.