Uganda has continued to register high Covid19 deaths despite a fall in daily infections.
For example, results of Covid19 tests done on 20 July 2021 confirmed 193 new cases but the number of deaths was 58.
At some of the health facilities and treatment centers, the number of patients is falling.
“Good News from Namboole Covid19 treatment unit As of today, only 29 patients are admitted, only 7 cases are severe, 2 discharged today. Only one death reported in the last one week. Let’s continue following Ministry of Health preventive guidelines and all SoPs,” tweeted Emmanuel Ainebyoona, the MoH spokesperson.
Picture at Mulago Hospital as hospitalized Covid19 cases drop As of 21 July, Mulago Hospital had active cases admitted standing at 71. Intensive Care Unit had 11 cases while HDU with 60 cases. Previously, the hospital beds were all full but now there is space.”
But while his colleagues at MoH may think this is worth celebrating, Commissioner for Emergency Health Services at MoH Dr John Baptist Waniaya has offered great insights into why the hospitals seem to show a success story yet Ugandans continue to die.
The answer, as he explained, lies in the homebased care approach.
“Due to the high number of cases, we have had many people on home-based care and that is why the number of deaths has continued to go up despite the total number of cases going down. The health of Covid19 patients can deteriorate very fast,” Dr Waniaya told NBS Morning Breeze on July 22.
He further revealed that even some of the patients referred from homebased care to hospitals who could have made it die due to lack of better and sufficient ambulance services.
“Due to the high number of cases, ambulances and even vehicles that are not ambulances were transporting people to hospitals,” he said.
“When patients deteriorate, many private hospitals decide to send the patients to Mulago. When patients reach the health facility late, recovery is delayed and this can also explain the number of deaths we are having.”
All photos: Courtesy
