The deceased, an elderly man who was referred from a health facility in Pandwong Division reportedly succumbed to COVID-19 complications at about 5 pm on Wednesday. However, his body remained on his death bed for close to 20 hours, until it was handed over to the relatives on Thursday afternoon.
Simon Knox Okongo, Kitgum District Surveillance Focal Point Person told Uganda Radio Network in an interview Thursday that one of the recovered patients has now tested positive for covid-19 for the fourth time consistently.
Innocent Rubangakene, a Laboratory scientist at Kitgum General Hospital told members of Kitgum Covid-19 Task Force on Thursday that he has been a victim of harassment meted on him by security personnel during curfew hours.
Bezy Omoya, the senior Hospital Administrator at Kitgum General Hospital says the increasing numbers of covid-19 patients in need of oxygen at Gulu Regional Referral Hospital Treatment center has affected the supply of oxygen to other health facilities.
Gloria Lakisa, a senior three student of Kitgum Standard High School was among dozens of patients who couldn’t be examined because she couldn’t afford Shillings 1,000 to buy examination gloves.
Like Juma, a 34 year old mother who spoke anonymously, said she sneaked in and lied on advice from her neighbor that she is a nurse in Bwaise. “My children are young and I need to protect them irrespective of what the government says. When I get immunized, it means that I can’t give them Covid-19,” she said.
Bezy Omoya, Senior Hospital Administrator at Kitgum General Hospital told Uganda Radio Network in an interview that the hospital has for the last three cycles been faced with undersupply of drugs and medical supplies.
Nyeko says trouble started on Friday when the suspect waited for her husband whom she had sent with an unspecified amount of money to buy food for the family for Independence Day celebrations in vain.
According to Dr Okello, inadequate funds has greatly affected the morale of volunteers in the various taskforce committees citing that many have since left.
The District Health Officer Dr Alex Olwedo acknowledged the shortage of PPEs and notes that they were forced to borrow ten gowns from Lamwo district to resume covid-19 testing on suspected patients.
Dr James Elima, the Director Gulu Regional Referral Hospital confirmed to URN in an interview that they are no longer admitting more patients because the facility is out of space.
Those undergoing the test include journalists, security officers, local government officials, businessmen, development partners and health officials among others in the various taskforce subcommittees.
“The flour is almost getting spoilt, so we are thinking that it should be given or sold away to prominent people in the district so that they don’t get spoilt. When we need them, we shall get the food back because at the moment, the quarantine centers are empty,” Dr Okello says.
This is a fivefold increment in death rates compared to the 13 lives that were lost to malaria during the same period in 2019. It is also the highest record of malaria deaths in the district, over the years.
Kitgum Municipal Council Town Clerk, Emmanuel Banya says that the health workers have resumed outreach programmes on immunization, attending to HIV patients and monitoring Village Health team [VHT] activities.
William Komakech, Kitgum Resident District Commissioner says there have been growing concerns on infiltration of South Sudanese from Torit state entering the district through Orom Sub county.
But Dr Geoffrey Okello, the Acting Medical Superintendent at Kitgum General Hospital says the health workers stopped reporting to the facility almost a week ago, after indicating that they intended to conduct immunization and other activities in Padwong.
Dr Pamela Atim Okot, the Medical Director of Kitgum General Hospital also acknowledged that if more COVID-19 cases are registered in the district, they may not be able to accommodate more than 12 cases.
Sources told Uganda Radio Network that the Commissioner and his team arrived Kitgum on May 25. They allegedly met some members of the district task force and other health workers, toured Kitgum General Hospital Maternity Ward, and were hosted for a talk show on one of the radio stations.
