RUKUNGIRI HC IV WORKERS THREATEN TO LAY DOWN TOOLS OVER LACK OF COVID19 PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

By Ronald Kabanza
www.mknewslink.com

Health workers at Rukungiri health centre IV in Rukungiri district have threatened to lay down their tools due to lack of protective equipment used to respond to Covid cases.
Rukungiri health center IV was made a district isolation center for suspected Covid 19 patients but was not given all the necessary equipment or training needed in managing Covid 19 suspects.
The angry health workers led by their health facility in-charge Dr. Jonathan Kintu marched from the health center premises and stormed the municipal offices in a protest against failure by responsible authorities to safe guard their lives from COVID-19 disease.
This came after a suspected COVID- 19 patient was on Sunday dumped at the facility by the district Covid- 19 team.
The suspected patient is a native of Rukungiri district and has been working in a corona virus hot spot district of Aura in northern Uganda as a money changer.
Dr. Kintu told www.mknewslink.com reporter that after receiving the patient, he was put in a general ward since the facility has no quarantine ward for suspects and they had to discharge other patients including expectant mothers.
Dr. Kintu added that on Monday morning, he went to the office of he District Health Officer and was only given 10 pieces of N92 face masks, 2 pieces of goggles and a box of re-usable face masks to be used by a team of 38 health workers at the facility.
“I was very disappointed by the way the district is responding. Dealing with a Covid-19 patient needs continuous monitoring so am asking myself how we shall deal with this disease in case the results of this gentle man we have at the facility turns positive,” Dr. Kintu lamented.
On the issue of allowances, Dr. Kintu said they were only given shs. 40,000 each for giving medical care services to other illness adding that they are supposed to be given extra pay for Covid 19 which they have not seen.
On the issue of training, Dr. Kintu said that they did not receive any training as far as COVID- 19 management is concerned but they were advised to use 3 personnel who trained in Ebola management.

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