Former Miss Tourism Uganda Phiona Kyeru has stirred discussion online after sharing her experience managing her toddler’s repeated illnesses while living in the United Kingdom.
Kyeru, who is currently based in the UK, said her child has been unwell several times, prompting frequent visits to a general practitioner.
However, she noted that the medical approach she encounters there is markedly different from what she was used to back home in Africa.
“Just let it run its course. Keep him hydrated. Paracetamol only if there’s a high temperature,” she quoted the doctors as advising during consultations.
She admitted that the guidance initially left her unsettled, especially because she expected medication to be prescribed for every visit. “What do you mean no medicine?” she recalled wondering at the time.
However, Kyeru says she later observed a consistent pattern: despite the absence of antibiotics or cough syrups, her child would recover within a few days through rest, fluids, and time.
Her remarks have reopened debate on differing healthcare approaches between systems in Africa and the UK, particularly in the treatment of common childhood illnesses such as coughs, colds, and mild fevers.
In many African contexts, symptoms are often met with immediate medication, including over-the-counter syrups and antibiotics, sometimes influenced by patient expectations and accessibility of drugs.
In contrast, UK medical guidelines often prioritize minimal intervention for viral infections, recommending supportive care unless symptoms worsen.
Kyeru emphasized that her reflection was not intended to compare systems or suggest superiority of one over the other, but to share a personal experience that challenged her expectations as a parent.
“I’m not saying one is better than the other,” she noted. “I have watched my child heal with nothing but water, rest and time more times than I expected.”