By Jesse Johnson James
The first COVID -19 patient admitted to Gulu Regional Referral Hospital was on Thursday afternoon discharged upon recovering.
The 41-year-old Ugandan male truck driver whose name has been withheld was admitted for treatment at the health facility on 1st May 2020 upon his interception from Elegu Border Point.
The unnamed driver is a resident of Nakasozi zone, Kyengera Sub –County in Wakiso district.
Dr. James Elima, the Director of Gulu Regional Referral Hospital revealed that the patient tested negative after successive tests. The healed driver is currently undergoing psychosocial support.
“He is so scared that he does not want to go back home and because of his request, we shall not present him here, we shall only present his certificate,” said Dr. Elima
Currently, Gulu Regional Referral Hospital is treating a total of 14 COVID -19 patients; 12 are at the health facility while two are in isolation center at Gulu School of Clinical Officers in Laroo Division in Gulu Municipality.
According to Dr. Elima, Personal Protective Equipment –PPE still remains a very big challenge faced by Gulu Regional Referral Hospital, a challenge that has to be addressed with immediate effect.
Dr. Joyce Moriko Kaducu, the Minister of State for Primary Health Care who was present during the discharging of the patient appealed to the public to strictly follow the guidelines of the Ministry of Health to avoid getting infected.
“We should embrace the management and the care of COVID -19 as humanity because even me the virus doesn’t care who I am. So COVID -19 can get anybody apart from those who follow the regulation and guideline as stipulated.” Dr. Moriko warns
According to Dr. Kaducu, the COVID -19 patients who are being discharged upon recovery and their families must undergo psychosocial therapy to avoid stigmatization by their family members and the community.
