Gov't is investigating how health workers got infected with Coronavirus
Lt. Col Dr. Henry Kyobe, who is the Covid-19 incident commander, has said that government is investigating how health workers on the frontline of treating Covid-19 patients got infected with the virus.
The development comes at a time when another health worker at the frontline tested positive for Covid-19 among the samples taken on Saturday, June 6, 2020.
The number of health workers who have so far tested positive for COVID-19 in the country has since been pushed to 18 in total over the past one week.
Speaking on NBS Morning Breeze on Monday, Dr Kyobe said that government is concerned by health workers on the frontline who are testing positive for Covid-19 and that investigations into the matter were underway.
He said, "We are investigating how medics got infected. It is a whole spectrum of reasons why health workers get infected. We noticed that one MK95 set is an issue, the government has ordered the withdraw of it."
Dr. Kyobe said that the health workers have the expertise to manage the rising virus cases and that they have been equipped with the necessary skill set.
Several health workers in Jinja have expressed their disappointment over non-payment of their risk allowances despite government promising them timely payments. Asked about the same, Dr. Kyobe said that the issue is not about non-payment but rather, 'delayed payments' which will be made soon.
Cautions public
Dr. Kyobe expressed concerns over what he called increased 'complacency' from members of the public who are ignoring the Ministry of Health guidelines on social distancing and use of appropriate face masks while in public.
"The population should not be complacent right now. We have not registered any deaths yet because we get patients early, we are worried about the complacency from the public" Dr. Kyobe said
Dr. Kyobe said that in case the Covid-19 cases continue to surge, government will be forced to 'de-hospitalise' the hospitals to start taking in patients who need critical treatment while the stable and asymptomatic cases get treatment from home.
Uganda has so far confirmed 616 Covid-19 cases with 96 recoveries and no death related to the virus so far.
