By; Ben Musanje

17th Sept. 2020

 

Some private health facilities are turning away suspected COVID-19 patients, according to health practitioners. 

According to Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) experts, persons with NCDs have in the recent weeks been sent away from hospitals without receiving care because they present with COVID-19 symptoms of fever and shortness of breath.

The claim comes days after Dr. David Katuntu succumbed to diabetes at Entebbe hospital after two private hospitals refused to give him any kind of care.

NCD specialists now say that Dr. Katuntu’s experience is not a random one. Dr. Susan Nakireka, a doctor at Mengo hospital and also the head of the Uganda Diabetic Association says she has come close to losing patients because they were chased away from private hospitals because they were suspected to having COVID-19.

Christopher Kwizera, the director of the Uganda Non-Communicable Disease Alliance says the lack of care at private hospitals is endangering the lives of people living with NCDs.

Data from the health ministry shows that 60 percent amounting to over 3,000 cases that have tested positive for COVID-19 are people living with NCDs. Majority of the deaths that have been reported also had pre-existing conditions such as diabetes and hypertension.

Dr. Ian Clarke, the chairman of the International Medical Group which owns IHK says that private hospitals cannot be blamed for following health ministry guidelines that have excluded private health facilities from treating COVID-19.


Thursday 17th September 2020 06:47:37 PM