This archive report was first published on 15 July 2020.
Kenya's hospitals are facing a daunting challenge as the number of COVID-19 patients requiring intensive care continues to rise. According to data from the Health ministry, 497 new cases were confirmed yesterday, with 78 out of 225 ICU patients dying in the past few days.
Health Director-General Patrick Amoth expressed fears that if the numbers of those requiring ICU care shoot up, hospitals will run out of space. He warned that the procedures needed for people in ICU are complex and time-consuming, and if the numbers of those in need of critical care go up, healthcare workers will not be able to offer adequate service.
The new cases announced by Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe take Kenya's COVID-19 caseload to 10,791. Nairobi accounts for more than half of all the cases, with 5,705 reported cases. Mombasa, Busia, and Kiambu also recorded spikes in infections.
Dr. Amoth's concern over fast-filling ICU came as studies revealed that patients who recover after intensive care may have to deal with long-term disabilities such as muscle wasting, organ, and brain damage. A 2012 study published in the journal Annals of Intensive Care recorded an average of 53 percent of patients who experience frightening delusions after leaving the ICU.
Experts warn that COVID-19 patients who spend time in the ICU are prone to physical, cognitive, and even mental health problems after discharge. Dr. Jeremiah Chakaya, a pulmonary diseases expert, said post-intensive care syndrome is common, regardless of any disease that puts patients there.
Mr. Amos Kamimo, one of the first patients in Kenya to land in ICU due to COVID-19, shared his harrowing experience. He was transferred to the Aga Khan University Hospital since his situation needed the HDU, which was occupied at Mbagathi Hospital.
"When I left home, I knew my health was not perfect owing to the shortness of breath and I disguised it as my congenital heart disease. Never did it cross my mind that I could be a COVID-19 patient," he said.
