Taskforce suspects hidden motive by patients exposing COVID-19 ward shortfalls

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The head of the COVID-19 taskforce in Masaka district suspects that there was an ulterior motive by patients who exposed the appalling situation at the isolation and treatment ward at Masaka Regional Referral Hospital.

An asymptomatic female COVID-19 patient undergoing treatment at the hospital lost her cool on Sunday and recorded a video bemoaning the unconducive situation at the ward which she says isn’t appropriate for patients.

In her nine-minute video that has since gone viral, the patient laments that the ward is faced with acute inadequacies that range from basic utilities; food, water and other sanitation facilities, as well as shortage of medical staff to attend to patients. The patient also complains about the types of medicines they are being treated with.

Despite pertinent concerns raised in the video, Herman Ssentongo, the Masaka Resident District Commissioner and chairperson of the COVID-19 task force is suspicious that patients could be hiding motives in the purported disclosure. He accuses the patient of cooking up a video with the intent to undermine the integrity of both the government and health workers.

Doctor Mark Jjuuko, the head of the hospital’s COVID-19 treatment unit indicates that besides security investigations, they are also considering to conduct a mental check-up on the patient. Dr Jjuko argues that they were surprised by the video, wondering why the patient didn’t tell them about her concerns and chose to get onto the social media.

However, the authorities are hesitant to pay attention to others salient irregularities in the video that include poor sanitation, inadequate meals, congestion at ward that is even shared by adults and the children some which have no facemask.

The video of the appalling situation in Masaka hospital is an addition to several other outcries by COVID-19 patients and suspects that have previously gone to different media to protest the poor conditions in which they were being quarantined and isolated.

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