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Health care workers expose grim picture in fight against Covid-19

Authors:

Mumbi Mutuko

Tough times in battle against Covid-19

Medics handling coronavirus patients
Medics handling coronavirus patients

Health workers have admitted to struggling to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic.

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This comes as the number of those contracting coronavirus surge in the country and more medics test positive for Covid-19.

Clinical officers’ union chairman Peterson Wachira said medics are at high risk of getting the disease due to lack of sufficient protective gear.

Additionally, the health care workers said they have not been suitably trained to handle Covid-19 and most are enduring burnouts as the numbers rise.

They demanded better working conditions as Kenya nears its peak with 960 cases reported on Sunday.

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Grim picture

Eight medics have succumbed to the disease and 531 have tested positive for COVID-19.

“The death of eight medics from various counties with another 531 infected with Covid-19 has forced users to try and assess the situation and the biggest problem we have is the lack of proper protective gear,” Mr Wachira said.

Medics who perform procedures that are more likely to generate high concentrations of infectious respiratory aerosols than coughing, sneezing or talking are reported at high risk of infection because most hospitals do not have the appropriate masks.

According to Clinical officers’ union Secretary-General, George Gibore, 72 per cent of health workers performing aerosol-generating procedures do not have the N95 masks.

The survey shows that 74 per cent of medics are anxious that they are not using protective equipment properly.

Authors:

Mumbi Mutuko

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