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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Ministry of Health is to start accrediting private health facilities who want to treat COVID-19 patients.
According to the ministry of health, over 100 private health facilities have shown interest in managing the patients.
While some facilities have been accredited to collect samples and even test for the disease, none has been allowed to care for confirmed cases.
Dr Charles Olaro, the director of clinical services at the ministry of health and also the head of COVID-19 treatment centers says that they have begun the accreditation process.
Currently, only government-funded health facilities are accredited to manage the disease.
In cases where a confirmed patient is admitted to a private health facility, the patient is referred to a government facility. Only 16 hospitals are accredited to manage the disease in the country.
If a private hospital is accredited, it will have to isolate more than 10 patients at any given time, have Intensive Care Unit facilities and a good referral system in place.
Dr Olaro says they are going to be strict during the accreditation process and only health facilities that meet the requirements will be considered.
The facility should also be spacious to treat and admit non-COVID-19 patients.
“We do not want to accredit a hospital with few health workers who will be burnt out after a few days because they are working 24 hours a day. A hospital will have to show that they can have staff that can work in shifts to avoid burning out,” Dr Olaro explained.
Grace Ssali Kiwanuka, the Executive Director of Uganda Healthcare Federation says that the health ministry is working with private facilities to make sure they are ready to take part in COVID-19 management.
She says that health workers in private facilities are being trained on how to identify suspected patients, isolate them and also how to pick samples.
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