This archive report was first published on 12 June 2020.
On June 10, 2020, the Ministry of Health launched home-based care guidelines to manage COVID-19 patients in informal settlements, where households share small spaces.
Health CAS Dr. Rashid Aman explained that the decision to embrace home-based care was necessitated by the rising number of COVID-19 cases, making it impossible to handle them in already flooded health facilities.
"As you are aware, due to our rising numbers of COVID-19 cases, it is increasingly becoming unattainable to isolate the patients in our health facilities for management and care," Dr. Aman stated.
The home-based care guidelines touch on key areas including eligibility, care procedures, medical monitoring, referral systems when the need arises, and community participation among others.
According to Dr. Aman, 78 percent of positive cases admitted in hospitals are either asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic, and can be managed at home provided proper laydown procedures are followed.
Community health officials will be involved in the daily assessment of the patients and will act as key links to the patients and healthcare workers in the household.
The Health CAS emphasized that the Nyumba Kumi initiative has a big role to play in ensuring the success of the home base care programme.
