Arua Hospital releasing corpses without COVID-19 Test results

Arua, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Leaders in Arua district have expressed concern over reports that the management of Arua Regional Referral hospital is handing over bodies of deceased persons to their relatives before carrying out tests to ascertain the cause of death.

The leaders say handing over dead bodies to the community before confirming the cause of death poses a high risk of spreading COVID-19 especially at a time when cases are on the rise across the country.

Manasseh Anziku, Arua district health inspector revealed on Thursday that, recently a body was handed over to relatives before test results were out, only to be confirmed later that the person died of COVID-19.

He said the test results came late after many people had handled the dead body.

Information from the district health department indicate a total seven people have died from COVID-19 at Arua Hospital in the past seven days.

Festus Ayikobua the RDC Arua says a number of bodies have been released from the hospital before test results are out yet it later turns out that the people died from COVID-19.

The Deputy Chief Administrative Officer of Arua district Sandra Ewachabo calls on the management of the hospital to improve on the handling of dead bodies and speed up COVID-19 testing.

However, Dr. Christopher Dradiku, the regional integrated disease surveillance response focal person for Arua Regional Referral Hospital explains that they are faced with a challenge of delayed release of results since the only available test laboratory is in Adjumani district where results delay.

He says they now have rapid tests within the hospital that will solve the challenge.

****

URN