By Jesse Johnson James
Gulu Regional Referral Hospital on Tuesday afternoon discharged three more patients who had recovered from COVID -19.
The trio—three male Kenyan drivers—were receiving treatment at the isolation ward at the hospital after they tested positive to the virus from Elegu Border Point in Amuru district last month.
The discharge comes after they tested negative for the 14th-day mandatory period and also negative for the 24- and 72-hours test day as required by the Ministry of Health.
Dr. Paska Apiyo, the in-charge of Isolation Ward at Gulu Regional Referral Hospital said the trio underwent both medical treatment and psychosocial support and that their quick recovery follows their cooperation and compliance with the health workers.
“We have taken care of them through the days that they have been here; and they have fully recovered. They are going home in good condition, ‘’ said Dr. Apiyo
“They are really very happy with us; we are going to release more of these patients from Gulu Regional Referral Hospital,” the doctor revealed.
Dr. James Elima, the Director of Gulu Regional Referral Hospital said the hospital has the capacity to admit only 67 COVID -19 patients and that numbers of admission will not exceed that capacity.
According to Elima, there is a need for a strategy for Elegu Border Point in Amuru district to scale down the rate of infection among the community there.
“We have been working with the leaders from Amuru and our partner World Health Organization—we need a strategy for Elegu border point and once we handle the issue of Elegu very well, our community cases shall go down,” said Elima
Maj. Santos Okot Lapolo, the Gulu Resident District Commissioner and the Chairman Gulu District COVID -19 Taskforce appealed to the recovered Kenyan truck drivers to continue observing all the precautionary measures put in place to prevent the spread of the virus.
Lapolo also appealed to the health workers in the forefront treating the COVID -19 patients to focus on their work and not listen to ‘‘negative statements’’ made against them by some of the politicians in the region.
The discharge of the Kenyans brings to four patients who have so far recovered from COVID -19 after treatment at Gulu Regional Referral Hospital.
