How Covid-19 has made hospitals ‘no go zones’ for some people
Hospitals in Kenya have greatly felt the economic effects of Covid-19 with the sick now avoiding visiting medical facilities.
It is quite ironical that during the Coronavirus epidemic, when medical workers should be busy working in various medical facilities, some have lost their jobs.
COVID-19 TEST
Nairobi News spoke to some city dwellers who said that they are now completely avoiding visiting medical facilities until the situation is sorted out.
Mr Kevin Kibwage, who lives in Lang’ata, said that two weeks ago he felt sick but he avoided visiting any medical facility.
“I could not do that because I feared that they would force me into taking a Covid-19 test which is what everyone is currently afraid of,” he said.
Mr Kibwage said that since it is hard to tell whether one had contacted Coronavirus or not it is a big challenge to just visit a hospital for medical attention.
Deborah Kimani, who resides in Kasarani, has been visiting Kenyatta University Hospital but when she recently contacted typhoid she opted to visit a chemist.
Ms Kimani said that she shared with the pharmacist who prescribed her with typhoid drugs and she is recovering.
“I am now doing well. I didn’t have the guts to visit a medical facility for fear of being tested for the deadly Coronavirus,” she said.
THE OUTBREAK
Ms Jane Mwihaki had for two months avoided taking her newborn to clinic because of the fear of contacting the disease.
She instead opted to ask the doctor to visit her home and attend to her and the baby.
“The doctor has been coming to my house, something I have never thought would have happened all because of the Covid-19 outbreak,” she said.
A number of medical workers who spoke to Nairobi News in confidence also confirmed that indeed the number of patients visiting medical facilities have declined.
Already, staff at Mater Hospital have taken pay cut due to the effects of the deadly Coronavirus outbreak.
Nairobi News has established that a number of medical facilities have also forced their members of staff into taking pay cuts.