Kayunga Task Force Blames Drug Shops, Clinic For Slow Recovery of COVID-19 Patients

The decision by drug shops and clinics to treat COVID-19 patients in Kayunga is affecting their recovery, the District task force has revealed. Positive COVID-19 cases in the district have increased from 88 to 237 in the past three weeks.    

One hundred and thirty-five (135) out of the 237 patients are under home-based care, five are hospitalized in critical condition while seven have succumbed to the virus. Ninety patients have since recovered fully.

 

Dr. Ahmed Matovu, the Kayunga District Health Officer-DHO, says their surveillance health teams are receiving many people who contracted the virus but drug shop and clinic operators assured them of treatment even after presenting with COVID-19 signs and symptoms.  

According to Dr. Matovu, such drug shops delay the treatment and recovery of the patients since they only refer them to designated treatment facilities when their condition worsens.    

“Some of the patients are made to believe that they are suffering from the usual flue and this bars them from visiting our designated centers for testing against coronavirus until their situation changes for worse, then they visit our facilities,” Dr. Matovu notes.

Kayunga Resident District Commissioner-RDC, Elijah Madoi who also heads the District COVID-19 Taskforce, says that they have instructed intelligence teams to identify drugs and small clinics breaching the COVID-19 treatment guidelines for appropriate action.

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However, some of the residents attribute their decision to resort to clinics and drug shops on poverty and movement restrictions. 

James Kitagenda, a resident at Namataala in Bbaale Sub County appeals to the district task force to conduct mobile testing to help suspected patients who cannot afford transport to government health facilities.