Fear of Covid-19 should not keep patients off hospitals

When the first case of Covid-19 was confirmed in the country in March, apprehensive Kenyans avoided hospitals like a plague.

They chose to suffer silently at home, fearing that visiting hospitals would put them at risk of contracting the coronavirus. Parents also feared to take their young ones for vaccination, (un)wittingly exposing them to grave danger in the future. As a result of the boycott, the health institutions, especially the privately-owned ones, started feeling the pinch. Some of them were forced to ease off part of their staff to remain afloat. Anglican Church Archbishop Jackson ole Sapit even appealed for State bailout of church-owned hospitals.

Things had suddenly gone topsy-turvy. Of course, they have since worsened as the country now has 30,0000 confirmed cases.

When panicked Kenyans started avoiding hospitals, we pleaded right here with them not to shun health facilities. Without doubt, their fears were valid as even medical workers have fallen victim to the virus and some even died.

Be that as it may, it is unwise for patients, some suffering from life-threatening conditions, to give hospitals a wide berth.

For instance, the Health ministry is concerned over the declining number of patients seeking surgical services, which have gone down by more 10,000 cases since the pandemic hit our shores.

Truth is Covid-19 kills, especially the groups categorised as vulnerable. But so do many other diseases. Braving sickness at home is not a panacea, especially considering this pandemic will be with us for quite some time.

The good thing is that unlike before, we have learnt a lot about the coronavirus. We all know what measures to take to keep the disease at bay, although there are still some in our midst who “continue to behave normally”.

And as the Health Chief Administrative Secretary Mercy Mwangangi assured last week, appropriate measures have been taken to protect both the health workers and patients in hospitals. Therefore, apart from those with access to telemedicine, there is no good reason for any patient to stay at home.

Indeed, it will be a double tragedy for Kenya if many patients choose to stay home. We would have deaths from Covid-19 and increased mortality from treatable ailments.