Health Centre IIIs stuck as workers contract Covid-19
A man walks out of a Covid-19 treatment centre at Soroti Regional Referral Hospital at the weekend. Health service delivery has been crippled in many health centres across the country after the staff tested positive for Covid-19. PHOTO/GEORGE MURON
What you need to know:
- Some locals shun health centres that have registered Covid cases for fear of contracting the virus.
Health service delivery across many health centre IIIs in the country have been crippled as a couple of staff continue to test positive for Covid-19 .
A skeleton staff is being left to attend to dozens of patients seeking treatment.
In Masindi District for instance, of the 45 tests done at Kinyara Health Centre III in Budongo Sub-county on May 29, 11 people tested positive, prompting the Masindi Covid- 19 taskforce to temporarily close the health centre for a few days.
Dr Patrick Baguma, the district health officer, said of the 11 people who tested positive, eight were health workers at Kinyara Health Centre III.
He said this left the health facility with a small number to attend to maternity, TB and HIV/Aids patients.
Dr Enock Mbayo, a doctor at Kinyara Sugar Factory, in an interview yesterday said two people attached to the factory also turned positive for the virus.
“They were referred to Nsambya hospital in Kampala where they are being managed,” he said.
Mr Richard Wanok, the communications manager at the factory, said they have put in place several measures aimed at fighting the pandemic.
Dr Akasiime Mucunguzi, the Rukungiri health officer, said no health centre has been closed despite having medical practitioners testing positive for the virus.
He told Daily Monitor that despite 28 health workers from Rukungiri Health Centre IV testing positive, the remaining staff continued attending to patients.
The facility also acts as the district hospital.
The Kanungu District health inspector, Mr Kato Besisira, said 14 health workers who tested positive were given 15 days of sick leave .
“We have not closed any health centres in Kanungu because some staff tested positive to Covid-19, but health workers that test positive are on leave,” he said
Acting Kabale District health officer Alfred Besigensi said about 20 health workers in the district tested positive for Covid-19.
He said those that test positive left the duty station for treatment at the Covid-19 treatment centres, while some are under home care management.
Mr Besigensi said as of Tuesday, there were 96 Covid positive cases undergoing treatment while about 600 are on home care management.
At Ngariam Health Centre III in Katakwi District, four health workers tested positive for Covid-19, leaving only three medics to run both the maternity ward, TB & HIV/Aids unit, and the OPD section.
Unfortunately, majority of the local communities that receive medication from the health centre have shunned the facility.
Instead, the locals in Ngariam Sub-county, Ngariam County, have shifted to receiving medication in Palam, Bisina, and Magoro health centres.
Mr Emmanuel Ongala, the Katakwi health officer, said they didn’t lock the health facility, but the people have deliberately shunned it.
Compiled by Simon Peter Emwamu, Ronald Kabanza, Naome Biira, Alex Ashaba, & Robert Muhereza
