The world’s health focus has shifted to battling COVID-19. But what is the fate of patients with terminal diseases, many of whom experts have said have immune systems that may be vulnerable to the novel virus?
For the surgeons, personal protective equipment are not available for surgeries. It is still the regular surgical gowns and face masks we use during the pre-COVID-19 that we use now. The other challenge is inadequate testing and poor contact tracing. You can’t ascertain whether the patient or patient’s relatives you come in contact with during an emergency has come in contact with someone infected with COVID-19.
We as health workers are doing the best we can within the confines of resources available to work with.The government needs to adopt strategies that are effective viz-a-viz proper orientation of the citizens as to what contact tracing means, appropriate contact listing, updating database of citizens, provision of basic amenities and relief items for those who will go into self isolation who may be detected through contact tracing, amongst others.
PT: How would you rate the preparedness of Oyo State, for instance, in case of a surge in the number of COVID-19 cases?Oyo State government is making efforts especially in collaboration with UCH. However, more still needs to be done in terms of residents obeying stay-at-home order, the state government providing relief packages for needy families, improved testing and contact tracing, provision of adequate PPEs for health workers, amongst others.