This archive report was first published on 13 July 2021.
As coronavirus cases surge in Mombasa, the city's ICU facilities are facing an unprecedented crisis. According to Dr. Ahmed Kalebi, a specialist in general and anatomical pathology, and laboratory medicine, there is a surge in coronavirus cases in Mombasa, with all ICU beds at Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital and private hospitals full.
Dr. Kalebi claimed that the Ministry of Health is under-reporting actual data, with many cases being diagnosed in hospitals and clinics using antigen tests/CT-scans instead of PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests. This, he said, is because the Ministry of Health does not collate data on non-PCR tests from these medical facilities, resulting in a skewed picture of the true situation.
Nafisa Hussein, a Mombasa resident, is one of the many who have fallen victim to the surge in cases. She was rushed to a private hospital in Nyali, where she was initially diagnosed with a viral infection and a urinary tract infection. However, after seeking a second opinion at Mombasa Hospital, she was confirmed to have Covid-19.
Ms. Hussein's experience highlights the challenges faced by those seeking medical attention in Mombasa. Some private hospitals refused to admit her with her health insurance cover, while others demanded a down payment of Sh300,000 for an ICU bed. Her family was eventually forced to rush her to Diani in Kwale in an ambulance, where she was almost dying.
"I had to be rushed to Diani in an ambulance. I was almost dying, I was out of air," Ms. Hussein said.
Despite the challenges, Ms. Hussein urged Kenyans to strictly adhere to the Ministry of Health protocols to keep the disease at bay, especially wearing a face mask.
However, the Mombasa County government rejected Dr. Kalebi's claims, describing them as outrageous. According to Health Chief Officer Dr. Khadija Shikely, the county has 40 beds set aside for coronavirus patients at Coast General, with 38 patients currently being treated.
On Tuesday, the county will open a Covid-19 facility at Tudor Sub-County Hospital to take care of mild and moderate cases.
