Panic as Kamuli medic tests positive for Covid-19

A medic in Kamuli General Hospital tested positive for Covid-19 leaving residents in fear. Without divulging the medic's particulars, the district health officer for Kamuli, Dr Fred Duku, the overseer of the District Covid-19 Task Force, confirmed that one member of the Covid-19 Risk staff tested positive.

The medic has been at the frontline of treating suspects at the  Kamuli Covid-19 isolation centre.

"The cases hit  20 on Monday afternoon, including one of our risk staff in Kamuli General Hospital," Dr. Duku said, adding that the medic is undergoing treatment in quarantine.

The rest of the patients are being treated in the Isolation centre while others are quarantined in their homes under the surveillance of the Covid-19 risk team.

"This makes Covid-19 real, as opposed to the hype that the virus doesn't exist. Having penetrated the rural districts, our appeal is that the public adheres to the SOPs, keeps social distance and avoids crowds," Duku said.

Dr. Zaidi Atuma, the Medical superintendent of Kamuli General Hospital, said there was need to minimize the Covid-19 scare, having relocated the isolation centre from the referral facility to Busota Health Centre III, about 4kms away.

"The isolation centre is operated in the heart of the hospital, between the Out- Patient Department (OPD), the Eye and Children's clinic, while keeping patients of other ailments at bay," Dr. Atuma said.

While at the commissioning of the Intensive Care Unit for preterm babies at Kamuli District Boma Grounds, the Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga decried the reluctance in observing the SOPs.

"When we had no deaths, people were scared and observed the SOPs. Now we have over 150 deaths and people have relaxed," Kadaga, also the District Woman MP for Kamuli, said.  

Dr. Duku said they were facing financial hardships at the Isolation centre, due to non-funding from the government/ the Ministry of Health.

"We don't have Personal Protection Equipment (PPEs), drugs and overalls. The risk team has gone without allowances for many months," Dr. Duku said.  

Introduced by the then Kamuli District Health Officer, Dr. Aggrey Batesaaki in March 2020, the isolation centre had registered no positive cases until President Museveni eased the Covid-19 lockdown in August.