The Uganda Medical Association (UMA) has said it is “concerned” by comments made the speaker of parliament that the country was working with a US researcher who had manufactured a “treatment” for the coronavirus that causes Covid-19.
“To date, there is no single medicine or a vaccine that can prevent [or cure] it, much as many are being tested,” the UMA said in a statement.
Such suggestions were dangerous, gave false hopes to people, and complicated advise to Ugandans to take measures to prevent infection, it added.
On Monday, parliamentary speaker Rebecca Kadaga (pictured) told MPs that a US researcher was working with a Ugandan biochemist on a product, which would be available in the country in two weeks’ time.
“A professor who manufactured a treatment for coronavirus in the US was here last week and he has donated the patent to Uganda and within a fortnight, the treatment will be made here,” she told MPs.
Ms Kadaga tweeted the names of those involved in the alleged research:
“We express particular displeasure about the quack cadre scientists, who desire to misinform the leadership of our country,” the UMA said.
It added that the purported treatment was a “disinfectant meant for external body use”.
Ms Kadaga shared a video on Twitter of the researchers discussing the product with President Yoweri Museveni:
Uganda has so far not registered a confirmed case of Covid-19.
There is no vaccine to inoculate people against Covid-19 and it is expected take months to develop one.
