AFRICA/RWANDA - Coronavirus pandemic: Aid organizations are trying to curb the spread of the virus

Friday, 5 February 2021 pandemic   coronavirus  

Muhura (Agenzia Fides) - The health crisis in Rwanda has escalated in the past few days. On February 1, a total of 15,400 infections were registered with peak of up to 300 new infections per day. "There are three hospitals in the region in Muhura, Bugarura and Gasange, in which seriously ill patients are treated and which have medication to treat Covid patients. For a few weeks now, swabs have been carried out there to identify the new infections", writes to Agenzia Fides Omar Fiordalisio, Country Manager Rwanda of The Movement for the Fight against Hunger in the World (see Agenzia Fides, 28/3/2020).
"Until recently, the Muhura hospital didn't even have water for normal patients", said Fiordaliso. However - he highlights - "there is still a lot to be done to make the three health centers more efficient and to contain the spread of infections in Gatsibo District. In order to work safely, health care workers and medical workers making home visits must be supported. The government agency “Rwanda Biomedical Center” responsible for the fight against Covid has asked other government agencies in the region for help".
Fiordalisio explains that many NGOs present in Rwanda are doing their part: "we are working hard in Muhura, where the cases have risen to 22 and also in the other two Centers of Bugarura and Gasange, where 13 positive cases were reported each. Among the first infected there are also three students and a mother with a 3-month-old baby. Fortunately, none of them are in serious condition, but the situation is extremely critical".
Healthcare wrkers take enormous risks every day, going door to door to diagnose infections, help the sick and distribute masks, gloves and soap to families. "If positive patients are in serious condition they are taken to hospital, but more often infected people have to be isolated at home. An average of 5-6 people live together in the houses, often with a few large rooms and very few windows", highlights the representative of the Italian aid organization.
The priority concerns the provision of all medicines used for the treatment of patients and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to prevent the spread of the virus in families. "FFP2 surgical masks and, gloves, soap and disinfectant are the materials we urgently need to distribute to health workers and individual families to prevent the rise in infections. I went out personally a few days ago to get the first protective materials to distribute them in Muhura and the two other health centers", said Fiordalisio, who concluded: "These days are crucial days for containing the virus in the District". (OF/AP) (Agenzia Fides, 5/2/2021)


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