Covid-19 cases rise to 16 in Masaka hospital
Recoveries. A recovered Covid-19 patient being escorted to the vehicle by the team of health workers at Masaka Hospital on May 19. This is the second patient to be discharged in a week. PHOTO BY MALIK FAHAD JJINGO
What you need to know:
- The recovered patient is a 27-year-old Ugandan boda boda rider from Ntatamukyi Village, Kibanda Sub-county in Rakai District. He was among the contacts of the first patient.
- Dr Jjuko said they are also expecting to discharge the third patient soon after completion of his resettlement plan.
The number of Covid-19 patients at Masaka Regional Referral Hospital treatment centre has climbed to 16 as more cargo truck drivers who enter the country through Mutukula border test positive for the coronavirus.
The health facility received its first patient on April 21.
So far, two patients have been discharged and the first one, a Burundian refugee from Nakivale Refugee Resettlement camp in Isingiro District, returned to his home last Thursday.
While discharging the second patient on Tuesday, Dr Mark Jjuko, the officer-in-charge of the hospital coronavirus isolation centre, said they are doing all to ensure that patients recover.
“We are doing our best to save the lives of our patients and there is really no cause for alarm,” he said.
The recovered patient is a 27-year-old Ugandan boda boda rider from Ntatamukyi Village, Kibanda Sub-county in Rakai District. He was among the contacts of the first patient.
Dr Jjuko said they are also expecting to discharge the third patient soon after completion of his resettlement plan.
“Our treatment centre has the capacity to handle all the patients currently under our care. We have 22 beds and we are also considering an expansion plan should the numbers continue to grow,” he said.
Ms Isabel Nyizihaya, a senior nurse at the isolation centre, revealed that all their patients have mild flu-like symptoms and cough, which disappear within a few days after treatment.
“My appeal goes to public; let them follow the set guidelines and help us contain the spread of this virus,” she said.
The Masaka Resident District Commissioner, Mr Herman Ssentongo, applauded the hospital administration and staff for their outstanding service in fight against the virus.
Mr Ssentongo, however, expressed concern over the increasing number of confirmed Covid-19 cases admitted to the facility.
“Some boda boda riders still hesitate to follow the Ministry of Health guidelines and one of their colleagues who has survived the virus should warn them against carrying passengers during this dangerous period of coronavirus,” he added.
More than 100 people, who were under quarantine at the facility after being suspected of having got in contact with three Covid-19 patients, have since been discharged and only seven are remaining.
Masaka regional hospital
Elevated. Masaka Regional Referral hospital, which was founded as a treatment centre for syphilis, was elevated to a referral level in 1995 to offer services to the greater southern region districts of Masaka, Kyotera, Rakai, Lyantonde, Lwengo, Ssembabule, Bukomansimbi, Kalungu and Kalangala.
Over the years, the hospital management has been grappling with many challenges ranging from lack of space to accommodate the overwhelming number of patients and seeking medical services and inadequate drugs.
However, during the current coronavirus period, the facility has since got four more medical doctors, two nurses and two epidemiologists to beef up the team.
The hospital is also set to receive a fully-fledged and well-equipped Intensive Care Unit (ICU) with 100 beds in addition to 10 modern ventilators.
Critical cases [those that require oxygen therapy and ICU] have always been referred to Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala.
