Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37098568›Full record

ArticleBMC public health2023

COVID-19 and the law in Uganda: a case study on development and application of the public health act from 2020 to 2021.

Martha Isabella Achan, Immaculate Nabukenya, Sarah Mitanda, Joanita Nakacwa, Herbert Bakiika, Maureen Nabatanzi, Justine Bukirwa, Aisha Nakanwagi, Lydia Nakiire, Cedric Aperce and 9 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMC public health, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

19 authors.

Martha Isabella AchanInfectious Diseases Institute, Makerere University, P.O. Box 22418, Kampala, Uganda.
Immaculate NabukenyaInfectious Diseases Institute, Makerere University, P.O. Box 22418, Kampala, Uganda. inabukenya@idi.co.ug.
Sarah MitandaMinistry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, P.O Box 7183, Kampala, Uganda.
Joanita NakacwaMinistry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, P.O Box 7183, Kampala, Uganda.
Herbert BakiikaInfectious Diseases Institute, Makerere University, P.O. Box 22418, Kampala, Uganda.
Maureen NabatanziInfectious Diseases Institute, Makerere University, P.O. Box 22418, Kampala, Uganda.
Justine BukirwaInfectious Diseases Institute, Makerere University, P.O. Box 22418, Kampala, Uganda.
Aisha NakanwagiInfectious Diseases Institute, Makerere University, P.O. Box 22418, Kampala, Uganda.
Lydia NakiireInfectious Diseases Institute, Makerere University, P.O. Box 22418, Kampala, Uganda.
Cedric AperceResolve to Save Lives, New York 100 Broadway, 4th Floor, New York, NY, 10005, USA.
Aaron SchwidVital Strategies, New York 100 Broadway, 4th Floor, New York, NY, 10005, USA.
Solome OkwareWorld Health Organization, Uganda Country Office, P. O. Box 24578, Kampala, Uganda.
Ekwaro A ObukuInfectious Diseases Institute, Makerere University, P.O. Box 22418, Kampala, Uganda.
Mohammed LamordeInfectious Diseases Institute, Makerere University, P.O. Box 22418, Kampala, Uganda.
Brian LuswataMinistry of Health, P.O. Box 7272, Kampala, Uganda.
Issa MakumbiMinistry of Health, P.O. Box 7272, Kampala, Uganda.
Allan MurutaMinistry of Health, P.O. Box 7272, Kampala, Uganda.
Henry G MwebesaMinistry of Health, P.O. Box 7272, Kampala, Uganda.
Jane Ruth Aceng OceroMinistry of Health, P.O. Box 7272, Kampala, Uganda.

Funding

World Health Organization 001
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundDespite the discovery of vaccines, the control, and prevention of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) relied on non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs). This article describes the development and application of the Public Health Act to implement NPIs for COVID-19 pandemic control in Uganda.

methodsThis is a case study of Uganda's experience with enacting COVID-19 Rules under the Public Health Act Cap. 281. The study assessed how and what Rules were developed, their influence on the outbreak progress, and litigation. The data sources reviewed were applicable laws and policies, Presidential speeches, Cabinet resolutions, statutory instruments, COVID-19 situation reports, and the registry of court cases that contributed to a triangulated analysis.

resultsUganda applied four COVID-19 broad Rules for the period March 2020 to October 2021. The Minister of Health enacted the Rules, which response teams, enforcement agencies, and the general population followed. The Presidential speeches, their expiry period and progress of the pandemic curve led to amendment of the Rules twenty one (21) times. The Uganda Peoples Defense Forces Act No. 7 of 2005, the Public Finance Management Act No. 3 of 2015, and the National Policy for Disaster Preparedness and Management supplemented the enacted COVID-19 Rules. However, these Rules attracted specific litigation due to perceived infringement on certain human rights provisions.

conclusionsCountries can enact supportive legislation within the course of an outbreak. The balance of enforcing public health interventions and human rights infringements is an important consideration in future. We recommend public sensitization about legislative provisions and reforms to guide public health responses in future outbreaks or pandemics.

Indexed as

COVID-19Public HealthDisease OutbreaksHumansPandemicsUgandaCOVID-19Non-pharmaceutical interventionsPandemicPublic Health LawRulesUganda

Identifiers

PMID37098568
PMCPMC10126532

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.