Kenyan coronavirus patient identified as @Kara_k06 took took to social media to share their experience at Mbagathi Hospital and offer some important advice to avoid the spread of the highly infectious COVID-19.
Using a Twitter account, @Kara_k06 urged the Kenyan public to adhere to the Ministry of Health’s advisory on hygiene as well as social distancing. Here are some major outtakes from Kara’s experience at the coronavirus isolation unit in Mbagathi Hospital.
Lesson 1: Government and health sector are learning how to manage the virus on the job.
According to Kara’s observations, patients are being admitted with suspicions of being infected with the coronavirus however, those who traveled recently or were exposed to others who have tested positive take priority. In a bid to not overwhelm the poorly prepared healthcare system in Kenya, testing is being done based on a priority list of sorts, with exposure and symptoms forming the criteria.
The patients are being grouped to help manage the numbers. Kara provided a glimpse into the system. She said, ” I am in the Isolation ward awaiting test results. If positive you are then moved to the treatment wards.” Kara also pointed out 2 patients had tested positive and were said to have traveled recently.
Testing involves several stages with gag reflexes and nasal checks providing some indication on the severity of the infection on the respiratory system.
The isolation ward setup. pic.twitter.com/BX8zmRzwYD— Kara (@kara_k06) March 26, 2020 Yesterday 3 guys from the wards tested positive. They were moved to a different ward. There they will be observed, treated and re-evaluated after 7 days. If they test -ve then, they go home. If not, they continue for another 7 days.— Kara (@kara_k06) March 25, 2020
Kara also noted that testing is improving, with results being churned out much faster than before.
Right now the new protocol is 6 hrs. Before it was 12. Mine were inconclusive and the second batch there was a communication breakdown among staff. Waiting on test 3 now.— Kara (@kara_k06) March 26, 2020
Lesson 2: Young people are also at risk of getting coronavirus.
According to Kara’s experience most of the patients who have been tested in Mbagathi Hospital are below age 30. This dispels the assumption that only those over 60 years are predisposed to the deadly virus.
One thing of note, almost everyone who has come in for testing is below 40 yrs. And all the positives per one have been guys under 30. Please take this seriously and keep safe. Normalize walking around with a sanitizer and social distancing.— Kara (@kara_k06) March 26, 2020
Lesson 3: Mbagathi Hospital Patient Care is sub-optimal.
The virus has no known cure, and with health workers struggling to test and treat the influx of patients who require medical attention, it seems that the system is under some strain.
Kara often refers to the timing of health workers in the hospital as Mbagathi Staff Timing (MST) with poor delivery of services and communication being expected.
Day 4 still in Mbagathi. Frustrated and supper pissed. Healthwise doing ok. Waiting for breakfast and results. Here we operate on MST- Mbagathi Staff Time.— Kara (@kara_k06) March 26, 2020 This is the frustrating bit. We were told that results are in 3 hrs ago but they have not been officially communicated to us par 2 people who were discharged but their paper work has not been processed. No admin desk to follow up. pic.twitter.com/Am5kzCmtZm— Kara (@kara_k06) March 26, 2020
Though the numbers of the infected is still below 100 in Kenya, Ministry of Health advises that citizens should observe social distancing should they need to go out, and more importantly self quarantine. Non-essential travel has been restricted, as President Uhuru Kenyatta has implimented a curfew from 7pm to 5 am as earlier reported.
If one suspects they may have the coronavirus, please dial 719.
