Webuye Covid-19 ISOLATION ward is HELL in a CELL

HELL IN A CELL; Webuye Covid-19 isolation ward

My attention has been drawn to the happenings at the Webuye ISOLATION WARD in Bungoma County where so many wrongs are taking place. The Webuye KMTC facility hosts the County’s dire Covid-19 cases who are beyond HOMECARE consideration.

Save for the IMPRESSIVE constant water supply, here are some of the outrageous things worth mentioning;

1. NO SAMPLE COLLECTION/TESTING;

Since Monday, October 26, 2020 no sample collection and therefore testing has been done meaning those who were due for a second test before release are still being held there after completion of the normal two weeks. This has been attributed to shortage of testing kits and reagents at the facility, a shortage that commenced four days before the entire County caught up

• This means, there is NO DISCHARGES – One can only be discharged if medically cleared
• No sample collection today 4/11/2020

2. NO FUMIGATION

The institution has done ZERO fumigation for the last 3 weeks (maybe more) despite the fact that patients share; Abolition block, dining area, playground, hostel etc

3. MIXING OF PATIENTS

#iKUWEiKUWE Updates takes note of the UNCONTROLLED mixing of old and new patients at the facility increasing the possibility of exposing those who’ve recovered to re-infection.

• 20-25 men (including those with critical conditions) share an abolition block that is never fumigated, cleaned once in two weeks

4. FILTHY FACILITY

The facility is taken care of by health workers in a two-week shift… The ones who are on shift now have only cleaned the facility once (last week)

• Toilet blocked
• Cleaning was done last week

Read: https://ikuweikuwe.com/2020/10/21/covid-19-patients-unique-strike-that-sent-medical-personnel-scampering-for-safety/

Read;  https://ikuweikuwe.com/2020/11/02/civil-society-issue-a-public-memorandum-to-bungoma-county-govt-on-covid-19/

5. MEDICAL WORKER’S REMUNERATION

#iKUWEiKUWE Updates has learned that workers are on a GO-SLOW due to failure by the County government to remunerate them for more than three months now. They also fault the county government for giving ONE PPE kit meant for the day’s doctor and facemasks and gloves only for the nurses. Zero training for the nurses has been conducted for months… in fact one of the doctor’s is contemplating pulling out due to the frustrations

6. POOR SECURITY;

The facility has also its fair share of law breakers therein away from the fact that convicted patients from police cells/prison are also brought here;

1. School children upon admission without wasting time stole a wall mirror, an act that the institution’s administration should probe and bring the culprit to book
2. There also reports of patients losing their valuables with some being recovered… At times the police force is involved to recover stolen property.

7. POOR LEARNING AREA FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN;

8. PATIENTS WASH BEDDINGS:

Am sure we all know that this County once squandered 11.9million in the name of Covid-19 and that they claim to have 404 isolation beds with 390 of them existing in air…. We would we subject patients to touching cold water and doing hard chores?

#iKUWEiKUWE Corner:

1. Before this publication I spared time to speak to the County Communications Director and the Director health both of whom claimed the County government is not responsible of buying the testing rather sample collection kits and reagents…. They also said that its a responsibility of KEMRI
2. I have also spoken to KEY health workers in Busia, Kakamega, Kisumu and Eldoret, my findings;

• They are BUYING own swabs/testing and reagents to help contain the situation
• They are NOT waiting for KEMRI for they know they were given funds to fight Covid-19 and will not wait for their people to die as they wait forever for kits whose absence creates a chain reaction of sorts in the health sector

3. It’s outrageous for a County official to claim that the reason they are NOT collecting samples in Bungoma is coz KEMRI which is supposed to be supplying them is experiencing a shortage swabs/testing kits (for sample collection) … Health is devolved;

• What stops this County from buying swabs/testing kits (for sample collection purposes)?
• A county that’s well known for diverting funds from the initially allocated projects?

4. As it stands now for anyone to do a quick test one has to get to Uasin Gishu or Kakamega

THIS FACILITY SHOULD IMPROVE ON SERVICES OR SHUT DOWN