Africa-Press – Uganda. Medics and leaders in Ntungamo District are getting concerned as residents who test positive for Covid-19 resist returning home.
The medics say the residents argue that when they go home they will infect people in their households since most of their homes are congested and can’t have room for self-isolation. They want to remain in health centres for specialized treatment.
“Most people we test and find positive are reluctant to go back home. As medics, we also do not have enough equipment and the capacity to keep them here. We are not trained enough to handle Covid-19 and most importantly, we do not have the budget. But they insist they are not going anywhere,” Ms Aphia Ankunda, the Ntungamo Municipality Health Centre IV In-charge, said.
She said at least 52 per cent of the patients who turn up at the health centre and are tested for Covid-19 return positive results which puts the medics at risk of contracting the disease since they don’t have protective gear.
“When they gave us test kits for coronavirus, we were not prepared for this. There was no PPE provided for the people in the lab who test, it’s just like they do to malaria. No gloves, no facemasks, no disposable aprons, no face shields, no gumboots, and the medics are stressed and stretched,” Ms Ankunda added.
The Ntungamo District Covid-19 task force set up Rubaare health centre IV, Kitwe health centre IV, Rwashamaire health centre IV, Itojo Hospital, Ntungamo health centre III, for rapid tests and Mirama Hills Border post for sample collection for other specialized tests.
However, the district health officer Dr Richard Bakamuturaki says they have not established any Covid-19 treatment centre as Itojo hospital it congested with patients with different ailments and can’t find space for Covid-19 isolation and treatment centre.
He says, currently, m]the Covid-19 patients are referred to Kabale or Mbarara hospitals but are looking at measures to have the district treatment centre as community infections soar.
Itojo Hospital constructed in 1964 has space for only 80 in-patients including maternity, male and female, pediatrics, surgical and causality and there has not been any additional construction since official opening in 1972.
A midwife at Kitondo health centre IV, Ms Patience Arinaitwe died last week as a result of Covid-19 after contacting it from an expectant mother. Another midwife at Nyabushenyi health centre III is in ICU over similar complications.
A medical officer at Rwashamaire health centre who preferred anonymity said they are currently treating two Covid-19 patients at the facility because who refused to go back home.
At Kitwe health centre, police was called on Monday to take away a man who had refused to return home after testing positive for the deadly disease. Medics said they had no PPEs to care for the patient.
The Kajara county Member of parliament Mr Micheal Timuzigu Kamugisha toured three health centres on Wednesday observing serious medical challenges in the units.
“Government has absolutely neglected health workers. When you ask the permanent secretary of the minister of health they will tell you they have sent PPEs to the facilities, but I want to tell you I have seen it myself, these people at health units are just sacrificing their lives. A health worker told me she used a pair of gloves for a whole day sanitizing every other time, the patients are insisting they want to be cared for. Something must be done,” Mr Timuzigu said.
The Ntungamo Resident District Commissioner, Mr George Bakunda, says the district has been in contact with the ministry of health over the establishment of a Covid-19 treatment centre at Itojo Hospital.
