COVID-19UG: Voices of JICA Ex-participants: Dr. Baseka Julius

Dr. Baseka Julius

Dr. Baseka Julius, the District Health Officer of Kasese District Local Government is Lead Doctor on the COVID-19 Response Team in Kasese district. After the outbreak, he took 800 samples from people to Uganda Virus Research Institute for testing.

Dr. Baseka attended the training on ‘Field Epidemiology to Strengthen the Preparedness for the Severe Infectious Disease Outbreaks for Managers' from November 17 to December 15 in 2019. Even before the outbreak, he had set up a treatment unit and four quarantine centres at the border, and trained health workers and media personnel.

"The training in Japan exposed us on how the people of Japan handle immigrations/ manage borders and how to handle disease outbreaks. Before the outbreak of the virus in Uganda, we were alert and were already screening people at the border. Luckily, it did not take me time to adjust since systems were already in place. In fact, we were the first people to screen truck drivers.

In addition, we had also just received funds for Ebola and COVID-19 which came in handy, as we were able to acquire hand sanitizers for health facilities".