SOLUTION B
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, almost or all heath institutes are overwhelmed including the medical staff, including the attending physicians, specialists, patient advocates, physical therapists, hospital pharmacists, human resource managers, social workers, dieticians and the rapid response team name it, who we commonly refer to as doctors and nurses. The medical institutions have never handled such huge numbers before; as we all know it, most will blame the administrations, but everyone plays a role starting from the patient to the medical institutions. We need faster solutions cause our health care is in turmoil.
The current surge in the Covid-19 variant among the Ugandan citizens has led to most patients either seeking Intensive Care Unit (ICU) or actually opting for ICU. Sumaya has been differing Covid with the terms, the “2020 Covid” and the “Recent Covid”. So let me stick with term “Recent Covid”.
The “Recent Covid”, is quite stubborn, the gestation period seems to be less than the “2020 Covid”. Most people are testing negative yet they are actually positive, or when their lungs are deteriorating, or its a “lab thing” no one actually knows. The Ministry of Health hasn’t actually addressed these issues in regards to this variant that's spreading like wildfire.
These past weeks the news has been berserk, but i believe the situation will be better, if we are vigilant, follow all the necessary SOPs, in other scenarios one can double mask, (but that breathing, fans self).
Besides all that, in my opinion we should devise ways to reduce the patients in the ICU, to reduce the fatigue among the medical staff and institutes. Medical institutes with ICU are charging exorbitant amounts of money ranging from 250,000 to 5 million shillings from patients, maybe we can blame it on demand and supply in the community. But on the other hand, this leaves a ratio of 1 doctor to 5 patients resulting into limited care towards the Covid Patients, who need maximum care. Its quite sad to hear, a sibling, parent, relative, friend or neighbor died, due to being unattended to or simply because they weren't availed to food in time, despite their family doing everything in time to ensure their patients gets everything they need in time.
In cases of mild Covid, we should opt for home care or bed rest. At the very worst opt for ICU. Patients can opt for a ventilator or oxygen cylinders. An oxygen cylinder of 70 kilogrammes is Shs 1 million at Uganda Oxygen Limited in Kampala, which can last 22 hours at a flow rate of 5 litres per minute. Out of curiosity i asked a friend how much Oxygen was, they went on to say approximately, 1.4–1.7m, which is cost friendly compared, to the ongoing charges in medical institutes. If we were to reduce expenses one can opt for Oxygen at home while seeking for a private medical practitioner who can monitor their patient while giving utmost care and undivided attention to the patient. On the other hand, taking the prescribed medicine in the right dosages and for the specific symptoms is another option. Its really sad losing someone due to medical negligence which is rampant and unaddressed in the Country.
I am praying for a better tomorrow everyday!
KEEP SAFE AND FOLLOW ALL THE S.O.Ps.
~ Ava Aster~
