By Prince J Musa in Kenema
Health authorities and campaigners in Kenema have expressed concern over low hospital visits occasioned by fear in the public of contracting the coronavirus disease - Covid-19.
Figures provided by the management of the Kenema Government Hospital show that there has been over a 60% drop in visits, and this, noted Dr. Ibrahim Kapuwa – Medical Superintendent of the facility – potentially has a huge implication on the health of the population.
“We used to admit patients of different categories of sicknesses as a regional referral hospital,” Dr Kapuwa told Politico on Friday, warning that there were people with illnesses like diabetes, pressure and other complicated conditions who needed to be in hospital but had decided to stay away out of fear of contracting Covid-19.
Kenema, the eastern provincial headquarter town, hosts the largest and best equipped hospital in the region and is the main referral centre in that part of the country looking after Kailahun and Kono as well.
On normal days, the facility is full to capacity with cases from across the three districts.
The hospital is also host to the only Covid-19 treatment centre in the region. Its cases are referred from the other districts.
The hospital authorities however say the Convid-19 treatment centre is situated far away from the general wards and the staff have enough experience in working in these situations without infecting any of the non-Covid-19 patients.
Dr Kapuwa says Kenema is a natural host of the treatment centre because the district has one of the standard equipment to deal with epidemics like Lassa Fever, Ebola and other haemorrhagic fever diseases in the Mano River sub region.
The medical superintendent adds that the people’s experience with Ebola may have influenced their attitude towards the Covid-19 pandemic.
Kenema recorded its first case of the Covid-19 on 16 April. As at the weekend the district had 24 cumulative confirmed cases and four deaths.
“The first confirmed case of covid-19 in Kenema instilled fear in people to come to the hospital,” says Dr Kapuwa, “You know Ebola hit people hard in Kenema and people are afraid from past experience.”
But the fear may have also been caused by the handling of the first case recorded in the district. It saw many nurses working at the hospital quarantined for 14 days. However, Dr Kapuwa says despite that incident, none of the nurses that were quarantined tested positive for the virus. He blames social media and main stream media rumours for instilling fear in the people.
The thought of a COVID-19 treatment centre within the facility is uncomfortable for many, to a point that they have chosen to rely on off-duty health workers and quack doctors.
Mariama Koroma, a pregnant woman from Nyandehun, says she prefers consulting with a community nurse in her area than going to the hospital.
“I am afraid to go to the hospital because of this corona and everybody is afraid now,” she told Politico.
“We have one nurse in our area who treats us at home,” she added.
Activist Fallah Albert Bockarie says the situation is a concern for the civil society in the region too, noting that if no action is taken, it may lead to many deaths due to non-Covid related cases.
“I have entered the hospital, it is empty,” he told Politico, adding: “We need to do a robust media sensitization on radio and at community level on that, otherwise people will die at home with minor illnesses instead of going to the hospital.”
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