Covid-19 patients are now refusing to be admitted to hospitals- Medics cry out

A section of Covid-19 confirmed patients in Kabale district are now refusing hospital admissions and prefer home based care management, the Kabale district Covid-19 taskforce has revealed.

Home based care is when a patient confirmed to have Covid-19 is mandated to restricted activities and movements outside their home unless when seeking medical care. When Uganda entered into the second wave of the pandemic and started registering a surge in number  of cases, the ministry of health opted for home based care due to lack of space in health facilities.

The Kabale district malaria focal person Edmond Kabwemera said that some patients are now hiding from Village health teams who are deployed to monitor Covid-19 patients in the village. He cited an example of a woman who had developed chest pain in Kibuga Sub County and refused to be transferred from the home based care to Kabale regional referral hospital.

The Kabale regional referral hospital Director Dr Sophie Namasopo told our reporter that despite the fact that the hospital still has the space to admit all eligible Covid-19 patients, some patients are now hesitant to be admitted.

Kabale district veterinary officer Bernard Kabagambe said that some Covid-19 patients fear admissions at Kabale regional referral hospital citing poor handling and management of Covid-19 patients at the hospital.

In her response, Namasopo denied that Covid-19 patients are now being mishandled saying the hospital is currently financially constrained and they no longer feed the patients like before.

The Kabale district Acting health officer Alfred Besigensi admits the challenge saying that he has received several complaints from village health teams.

He added that he has a report where a Covid-19 patient threatened to kill a village health member, should he inform health workers about his illness.

Kabale district currently has a total of 119 active cases, 43 are being treated from different health facilities and 76 are being managed under the home care management system.