By Francis Nizeyimana
KISORO:The minister for Gender, labour and social development in charge of children and youths affairs who doubles as the Kisoro woman member of parliament Hon Sarah Nyirabashitsi Mateeke has started her journey of visiting Health centers in Kisoro as she donates masks, sanitizers and liquid soups to help health workers.
Minister Nyirabashitsi started yesterday and she reached Bukimbiri Health center three, Kateriteri health center three,Iremera health center three,Nyamasinda health center two Rubuguri health center four andNkuringo health center three.
The Minister said that she will reach all health centers, to check on their status in this covid-19 era.
She said that she is going to put much effort on health and education as she promised people.
During the visit, nurses who were found at most of the health centers where the minister reached lamented that they don’t have personal protective equipment (PPEs) a factor that is putting their lives on high risks of contacting coronavirus.
At Bukimbiri health center, Musimenta Jane a nurse who was found on duty said that they are working when they are two after seventeen of the workers tested positive for covid-19.
Health workers in health center three and two have always said that they don’t have enough protective gears yet they receive people from different places who are not even tested for covid-19.
They say this factor is putting them at high risks of contracting covid-19 yet they don’t get covid-19 allowances.
Covid-19 related stigma in Bukimbiri county.
Stigma amongst people in Nyundo Sub County and Rubuguri town council is failing many to seek medication fearing that they may get coronavirus according to health workers in the area.
This was said by health workers from Bukimbiri health center three and Rubuguri health center four while presenting their challenges to the minister for Gender, labour and social development in charge of children and youths affairs Hon Sarah Nyirabashitsi Mateeke.
Jane Musimenta a nurse at Bukimbiri health center said that people some people no longer go to the facility on grounds that most health workers at the facility have contracted covid-19.
Musimenta Jane a nurse at Bukimbiri HC3
Musimenta said that they are supposed to be 19 health workers at the health center but they are working when they are two nurses because others are battling coronavirus.
At Rubuguri Health center four, Niyonsaba George the medical laboratory technician said that some covid-19 victims who are put on Home based cared are harassed by friends and family members who fear that they will contract the disease from the victims.
He said that since 9th June, over 80 people have tested positive for covid at Rubuguri health center. He said that the hospital has equipment needed to test coronavirus.
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