Covid-19: Turkana adopts home based care as 4 patients recover

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What you need to know:

  • Five patients are under home-based care at the UNHCR compound in Kakuma town.
  • Mr Lotethiro said that the county currently has a total of 17 active cases.
  • He said that 10 patients, who are truck drivers, are being managed at Nadapal isolation centre.


Turkana County has rolled out home-based isolation and care for Covid-19 patients in efforts to relieve pressure on an already fragile health system.

Deputy Governor Peter Lotethiro said that five patients are under home-based care at the UNHCR compound in Kakuma town.

"The patients are all humanitarian health workers who are working in Kakuma. They are enrolled in the home-based care programme with all Ministry of Health protocols being strictly adhered to," Mr Lotethiro said.

He said that four patients have recovered and have been discharged after testing negative for the virus.

ACTIVE CASES

Mr Lotethiro said that the county currently has a total of 17 active cases. He said that 10 patients, who are truck drivers, are being managed at Nadapal isolation centre near the border of Kenya and South Sudan while two patients are at IRC Kakuma Hospital.

The truck drivers have raised concerns over poor services including lack of a proper diet and care services at their remote isolation centre.

Speaking by phone to the Nation, the truckers asked the Ministry of Health to intervene by taking them from the remote isolation centre to their home counties for proper care and treatment after persevering for more than 40 days now.

‘BITTEN BY SNAKE’

"One of us was bitten by a snake from a nearby bush. We cook for ourselves and we have never eaten meat because our food store has only cabbages, sugar, rice and flour," one of the patients lamented.

But Turkana County Health Executive Jane Ajele told the truck drivers to cooperate with doctors, pointing out that they will only be discharged after testing negative.

"Many are impatient but they should cooperate so that we don't put lives of many people at risk. Releasing them now is putting many people at risk as they must pass through many towns and centres like Lokichoggio, Kakuma, Lodwar, Lokichar, Kainuk, Kapenguria and Kitale," Ms Ajele explained.

She assured them of boosted nutrition and psychosocial counselling until they all recover.