550 COVID-19 patients discharged as govt kicks off home-based care

550 COVID-19 patients discharged as govt kicks off home-based care

The Ministry of Health has kicked off a home-based care system for COVID-19 patients allowing them to recuperate at home, Health CS Mutagi Kagwe announced on Sunday.

So far, 550 non-critical cases have been allowed to leave various hospitals and recover at their homes.

The Kenyatta University Teaching and Refferal Hospital has so far discharged 338 active cases while the Coast General Hospital has discharged 212 patients.

Those discharged will be required to stick to the guidelines by World Health Organisation (WHO) for the requisite 14 days.

The decision to discharge non-critical cases was informed by the increasing positive cases at various hospitals with the Mbagathi Hospital and Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral & Research Hospital almost filling up with COVID-19 patients.

Mbagathi Hospital has a capacity of 112 beds.

Kenyatta University Hospital, which as of Wednesday, June 3 had 346 patients has set aside 456 beds for patients who have contracted the coronavirus.

MoH previously noted that 80% of Kenya’s coronavirus patients are asymptomatic whose conditions may be managed through home-based or community based isolation facilities.

While the initiative will be implemented under supervision of medical and public health officials, Health CAS Rashid Aman said community volunteers will be involved in the daily assessment of home-based patients.

“Community health workers will be a key link between healthcare workers and the households,” he affirmed.

Nyumba Kumi initiative, the CAS noted, will play a key role in home-based care in informal settlements whereby it will guide in the identification of institutions owing to the fact that most households have limited spaces.

Home-based care in the informal settlements where households share small spaces will require identification of institutions within the community that meet the recommendations for providing such care.

He called upon all health stakeholders to abide by the new guidelines further urging NGOs to partner with the Government in the initiative, especially in the informal settlements.

“To succeed, the Ministry of Health appeals to nongovernmental organizations, and other well-wishers to partner with us in this fight against COVID-19

Tags:

coronavirus

Want to send us a story? Submit on Wananchi Reporting on the Citizen Digital App or Send an email to wananchi@royalmedia.co.ke or Send an SMS to 25170 or WhatsApp on 0743570000

Leave a Comment

Comments

No comments yet.

latest stories