How to stay safe as you seek care in hospitals

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the way we do things, and the healthcare sector has not been spared. The standard digital spoke to Dr. Twahir Majid, the Associate Dean, Clinical Services at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi on what the hospital is doing to ensure there is continuity of care during the COVID-19 pandemic:

WHO has said we are likely to be with the virus for a while, what are your thoughts on this?

My personal opinion is that COVID-19 is probably here with us for the next 12 to 18 months. That is, until we have a vaccine. I applaud the government’s efforts. We, as a country, have managed to slow down the curve and the numbers of COVID-19 patients are coming in at a manageable rate.

What does this mean for the delivery of healthcare?

We cannot restrict patient care to only that of COVID-19 patients. We also cannot wait for the post-COVID-19 period to resume normalcy. We must create a new normalcy – that of living with COVID-19. This is the environment where we co-exist with COVID-19 in the safest manner for doctors and other hospital workers, patients, and visitors to the hospital.

There are reports that people are scared of going into hospitals, what are the likely consequences of delay in seeking health care?

We run the risk of losing gains we had made on healthcare in areas such as vaccinations while those with lifestyle diseases risk compromising on their health. Diabetes for example can be managed effectively when caught early. However, when left untreated, it can lead to potential complications that include heart disease, stroke, kidney damage, and nerve damage. We must, therefore, provide a safe environment to ensure continuity of care for patients who need it at this time

There is the question of elective surgeries, how do I know what can wait and what is urgent?

For those who have scheduled treatments, surgeries, and procedures, it is important to consider this carefully with your physician before postponing. There is a clinical reason why your physician had made your patient care plan. Don’t wait until this becomes an emergency, rather seek care in a safe environment.

What is the Hospital doing to ensure patients undergoing procedures are safe?

We have developed a medical pathway for each department that ensures we have protocols to care for everyone in a safe environment. AKUH, N is now conducting free Covid-19 testing for all our in-patients, and Day Surgery patients as part of the safety measures to provide a safe environment for all patients and staff.

This will enhance the safety of patients and caregivers and will enable us to determine the best approach to care for our patients including the appropriate use of Personal Protective Equipment during their stay in the Hospital.

What are hospitals doing to ensure safety for those coming to the hospital for clinics and other needs?

On a normal day, safety at the hospital is a top priority for any healthcare provider. Now with COVID-19 reality, we are even more vigilant. We have for example established a disinfection team that is specially trained by Infectious Diseases experts to clean and disinfect the Hospital and clinics continuously for 24 hours, for the safety of all persons coming to the Hospital. We have put up additional waiting areas to enforce social distancing as well as made available sanitizers for use by all. In addition, all persons coming to the hospital are screened and their temperatures measured.

In the western nations there were reports of high infection rates among health care workers. How is the hospital addressing this risk?

The safety of healthcare workers has been a top priority for us. We prioritized training for all our staff on COVID-19 even before the first case was reported in Kenya. Our experts continue to update this training as new information and trends are reported globally.

Besides ensuring that we have appropriate Personal Protective Equipment for all, we have also issued all our staff with masks, digital thermometers and individualized hand sanitizers to ensure their hands are sanitized throughout.

There is the talk of reopening the economy. What should the public be doing to slow down the spread of the virus?

We must continue to heed government advice on the necessary safety measures including wearing masks while in public and practicing hand hygiene through sanitizing our hands or washing with soap and water. We must also continue to observe the recommended social distancing of 1-2 meters.

Teleconsultation, how successful is it in your hospital?

Many of our patients have taken up our teleconsultation service which is enabling them to receive care through zoom or phone calls. We have complemented this service with the home delivery of medication and a mobile laboratory.

In your estimation, when will the world conquer this pandemic?

There are different vaccines at different stages of trials and we might see some being rolled out towards the end of the year or next year. Therefore, it is safe to assume that we may have a solution next year. However, we should continue to heed the advice of our experts, the government and the WHO.