36 health workers in Kagadi District have tested positive for the
deadly COVID-19. The affected health workers are from Kagadi General Hospital, Kabugo
and Muhorro Health Center IIIs.
Many health facilities in the district are operating with inadequate or no
PPEs, putting the lives of the medics in danger.
Kefa Madira, the Kagadi district head of COVID-19 case management
says that the workers contracted the deadly virus since the second wave of the
pandemic was reported in the country.
Madira attributed the increase of the cases among health workers
to a lack of Personal Protective Equipment-PPEs. He adds that several health
facilities have run out of gloves, sanitisers, face shields, gowns, and aprons
among others.
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The health workers are currently being managed from their
respective homes under the COVID-19 home base care management because they are
not critically ill.
Yosia B Ndibwami the Kagadi LCV Chairperson says that it is worrying that more health
workers could get infected with the disease.
He has tasked the health ministry to immediately intervene and
allocate enough PPEs to Kagadi district to save the lives of health workers.
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A health worker at Kagadi General hospital who spoke to URN on condition of
anonymity explains that they are currently working in a risky situation since
the health facility has run out of the PPEs.
Last
month, health workers at Masindi General Hospital laid down their tools due to
lack of PPE, leaving several Covid-19 patients
stranded.
Most
of the health workers noted that all the PPE including face masks, gloves and
sanitisers that were given to them got used up two weeks ago and they cannot
continue to attend to patients especially those with COVID-19 cases without the
protective gear.
Okello Emmanuel
Gerald Abitegeka
Freelancer