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Source: https://www.independent.co.ug/doctors-shying-away-from-severe-covid-19-patients/
Doctors shying away from severe Covid-19 patients
The Independent June 29, 2021
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | On May 28, 2021, Irene Nakasiita, the Public Relations Manager of the Uganda Red Cross Society tested positive for COVID-19. She was admitted to Jinja Regional Referral Hospital on the same day since her lungs were filling up with fluid.
Nakasiita describes her stay at the hospital as worrying since doctors refused to take care of patients in the COVID-19 ward. She says the doctors often left the patients in the hands of nurses who could not do much in case of complications.
According to Nakasiita, due to the lack of staff, the health workers advised her to get a caregiver from home to look after her. She says that she received the advice when taken off from oxygen and was placed in a private room. COVID-19 treatment protocols do not allow family members to cater for the sick due to the highly infectious nature of the disease.
In addition to lack of staff, Nakasita says the hospital did not provide them with the meals associated with COVID-19 hospital management. She says she had to pay someone outside the hospital to provide her with food. Nakasiita is not alone.
According to the administrators in some regional referral hospitals in the country, many share Nakasita’s experience due to lack of human resource. Dr. Paska Apiyo, the head of the COVID-19 treatment unit at Gulu Regional Referral hospital says that many of health workers in ICUs do not want to work...
Doctors shying away from severe Covid-19 patients
The Independent June 29, 2021
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | On May 28, 2021, Irene Nakasiita, the Public Relations Manager of the Uganda Red Cross Society tested positive for COVID-19. She was admitted to Jinja Regional Referral Hospital on the same day since her lungs were filling up with fluid.
Nakasiita describes her stay at the hospital as worrying since doctors refused to take care of patients in the COVID-19 ward. She says the doctors often left the patients in the hands of nurses who could not do much in case of complications.
According to Nakasiita, due to the lack of staff, the health workers advised her to get a caregiver from home to look after her. She says that she received the advice when taken off from oxygen and was placed in a private room. COVID-19 treatment protocols do not allow family members to cater for the sick due to the highly infectious nature of the disease.
In addition to lack of staff, Nakasita says the hospital did not provide them with the meals associated with COVID-19 hospital management. She says she had to pay someone outside the hospital to provide her with food. Nakasiita is not alone.
According to the administrators in some regional referral hospitals in the country, many share Nakasita’s experience due to lack of human resource. Dr. Paska Apiyo, the head of the COVID-19 treatment unit at Gulu Regional Referral hospital says that many of health workers in ICUs do not want to work...