This archive report was first published on 25 August 2020.
Hidden Costs of Covid-19 Home-Based Care ¶
For Jerotich Seii and Eva Mutua, the decision to opt for home-based care after testing positive for Covid-19 came with unexpected expenses. The two women, who shared their experiences with The Standard, found themselves footing the bill for doctor’s consultation fees, drugs, subsequent Covid-19 tests, personal protective equipment, and other hidden costs.
Jerotich tested positive on July 22 at a private laboratory run by International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in Nairobi. She had self-isolated a week earlier after experiencing Covid-19 symptoms. Despite following the Ministry of Health and World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines, Jerotich received no guidance or support from the Ministry of Health, prompting her to self-isolate under the direction of her doctor and with the support of her family and house help.
Eva, on the other hand, tested positive after returning to Nairobi from Pretoria, South Africa, where she had travelled for treatment and got stuck due to Covid-19 related travel restrictions. Before leaving Pretoria, Eva had tested negative for Covid-19 at a Lancet laboratory in South Africa.
Both women incurred significant expenses during their home-based care. Jerotich spent over Sh60,000 on initial and subsequent tests for herself, her husband, and her house help. Eva spent Sh30,000 for the 40 days she was in isolation and an additional Sh30,000 on over-the-phone consultations with doctors. They also had to buy antibiotics, malaria drugs, anti-histamines, anti-inflammatory drugs, cough medication, zinc, and multivitamins.
Jerotich and Eva hope that their respective insurance companies will reimburse the money they spent during home-based care. Above all, they hope the government will step in to support poor patients self-isolating at home.
Source: Standard.co.ke
