Nairobi News

The government concerned with reports that many Kenyans have stopped going to hospitals for fear of contracting Covid-19, Health CAS Dr Mercy Mwangangi has said.

Dr Mwangangi on Monday encouraged Kenyans who require medical services to go to hospital as there are measures in place to protect both the doctors and patients from getting infected.

PREGNANT MOTHERS

“Kenyans are seeking healthcare services less than they were before. We have a team that’s trying to review why Kenyans are not seeking healthcare services as much as they used to. The team is also putting in place measures to encourage Kenyans to come to hospital,” said Dr Mwangangi.

“You will not get Covid-19 in the hospital because we’ve put measures in place to protect the healthcare workers and the patients as well,” the CAS added.

According to Dr Mwangangi the number of pregnant women seeking prenatal services in hospital has also gone down.

She said the Ministry of Health has been working with statisticians to determine the number of births per day and the number of expectant women seeking medical services has significantly gone down.

COVID-19 TEST

“Covid-19 has brought detrimental effects. There are fewer mothers coming into the health facilities. As a country, we have statisticians who work with us and are able to know the expected number of deliveries every day in this country,” she said.

Earlier this month, the government said that it will be mandatory for patients being admitted in hospital to first be tested for Covid-19 as a precautionary measure to reduce the risk of infections to healthcare workers in hospitals.

Health Director General Patrick Amoth, said that not only are healthcare workers at risk but so are other patients who have already been admitted at the hospital.

“When people die at facility level then of course they put the healthcare workers at risk of contracting Covid-19 and of course also transmitting the infection to other patients who are in the ward,” Dr Amoth said.