As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to spread, patients are increasingly avoiding health facilities, leading to reduced activity at hospitals across the country.
According to a spot check by the Nation on Tuesday, wards, triages, and hallways in both public and private hospitals are becoming increasingly empty.
Health County Executive Kariuki Gichuki expressed fears that many people could be silently suffering at home, with erroneous prescription of medicines bought over the counter potentially being devastating.
Records from the Homa Bay Teaching and Referral Hospital show that the number of outpatients received daily has dropped from an average of 250 per day to 100 since Covid-19 struck.
Similar situations were observed at the Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital and the Meru Referral Hospital, where outpatient numbers have declined from an average of 500 patients to about 100 in a day.
At the Mama Lucy Hospital in Nairobi, doctors reported that the TB centre was experiencing dwindling traffic, while in Wajir County, the drop in numbers is expected to continue after the hospital was designated as the main isolation centre.
Patients who spoke to the Nation said they were afraid of contracting the virus, with some resorting to visiting chemists instead of hospitals.
County Health Executives expressed concerns that patients with chronic diseases, such as diabetes and hypertension, were not attending clinics as scheduled, and were likely to relapse.
Medical experts fear that more people are dying from untreated emergencies than from the virus, with concern that cancer medication cannot wait for the containment of the virus.
By Nasibo Kabale, Manase Otsialo, Bruhan Makong, Alex Njeru, David Muchui, Edith Chepngeno, Phyllis Musasia George Odiwuor, Elizabeth Ojina, Benson Ayienda, Benson Amadala, Derick Luvega, Brian Okinda and Rushdie Oudia, Nation Team, 6 May 2020.
