MPs decry loopholes in Covid-19 home based care system

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Legislators on the Parliament Covid-19 taskforce are concerned about the way the home-based care system has been left exposed and vulnerable to people in homes and communities.

The government through the ministry of health approved that people who test positive to Covid-19 but with mild symptoms be sent and managed from their homes under what was called home-based care.

The legislators who were in Buhweju and Bushenyi on Monday were told that Bushenyi currently has 65 cases of home-based care.

The members of parliament who are divided into four teams are moving around the country to identify areas needing government improvement in the fight against Covid-19 and also establish whether funds voted by Parliament to fortify the Covid-19 fight have served the intended purpose.

The team in the western region is led by Hoima West county member of parliament Dr Joseph Ruyonga, and started their task from Masindi today, and will proceed to Rukungiri and Isingiro districts.

Buhweju county MP Francis Mwijukye wondered whether the home-based care system is serving its rightful purpose since in homes there are no required necessities.

Mwijukye also says the frontline workers who are supposed to offer the care are left without adequate supplies, risking their own lives to provide treatment and care.

He said the government and health ministry need to acknowledge the errors in home-based care and better the system.

“It is called home-based care but there are no required services and you who are supposed to offer the care you don’t have the care and the medicines to give them are not available!”

Rukungiri Municipality Member of Parliament Dr Elisa Rutahigwa says cases on home-based care need a lot of follow up otherwise a case that is released to stay in the community is dangerous and likely to spread the virus further if not well handled.

He says there are homes where people sleep together when one is positive and the other is negative.

Bushenyi District Health Officer Dr Edward Mwesigye asked the Members of Parliament to urge government to provide more testing kits needed in the Covid-19 fight.

He says they are overwhelmed by the huge numbers of people who want to test on daily basis yet they receive 50 to 100 swabs which are shared among the more than 15 testing centres.

The team which is led by Dr Joseph Ruyonga asked all stakeholders to intensify messages of prevention.

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