By Leilah Bbaale
The home-based isolation and care for Covid-19 positive patients has failed in Hoima following poor adherence to the Standard Operating Procedures.
Under home care, people who test positive for the disease but are not asymptomatic or do not have any other underlying conditions such as diabetes, asthma or even high blood pressure stay home in isolation for at least 14 days or until the test negative for the disease. This way, treatment facilities are left for a moderate and severe case of the disease that requires hospitalization.
During the home care, the health ministry is supposed to follow up with phone calls to monitor the progress of the sick.
But, the Hoima City Resident Commissioner Samuel Kisembo has expressed dismay over some Covid-19 patients under home care treatment who are not adhering to medical guidelines.
Kisembo, who is the head of the City Covid-19 taskforce explains that some patients under home care instead of staying home as they were instructed, they continue to move in the public.
He noted that such behavior is risky and it may cause the number of community Covid-19 infections to increase.
Dr Lawrence Tumusiime, the acting Hoima District Health Officer confirms the challenge adding that family members of the patient have the responsibility of ensuring that such patients keep home.
Tumusiime explains that the pandemic will be managed once the public adheres to SOPs adding that about 300 Covid-19 patients have recovered out of the over 900 who tested positive.
