SENIOR Resident Medical Officers (SRMOS) doing Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Parirenyatwa Hospital have indicated that they won’t be able to continue offering services following indications that majority of Obstetricians and Gynecologists operating in the maternity wards have tested positive for the COVID-19.
By Michael Gwarisa
In a communication Parirenyatwa Hospital Clinical Director Dr Maunganide and Dr Mhlanga the head of Department Obstetrics and Gynaecobgy, the doctors said continuing with their duties was tantamount to a death sentence as majority of their colleagues in the maternity wards had either tested positive of was showing symptoms of COVID-19.
We write this letter to inform you that as SRMOS doing Obsteterics and Gynaecology at Parirenyatwa we won’t be able to discharge our duties from the 30th of July for the following reasons: A considerable number of the SRMOs have tested positive for SARS-Covid-19 and a sizable number of SRMOs are displaying symptoms of Covid-19 & await to be test.
“In the best interest of other healthworkers and patients we have found It best that we self-isolate at !tome whilst Mbuya Nehanda Martenity Hospital Is disinfected and fumigated. Those who test. positive will be in quarantine as per national guidelines. Those who are symptomatic will self-Isolate until they am dear,” said the doctors.
They added that providing services whilst symptomatic and without Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) puts patients and other health workers at risk of contracting the highly contagious pathogen.
“We kindly implore your office that you organize that for all patients that will be admitted in Mbuya Nehanda Maternity Hospital be tested for CovId-19. Those who test positive will have to be managed in the Red. Zone. This Is in the best Interest of the patients and health care workers and it will go a long way In reducing the spread of the disease.”
By July 27, at total 323 health workers had contracted Covid-19 since the beginning of the outbreak in March. Of these, nurses were the most affected, constituting 168 and doctors 16. Other affected health workers include people working in pharmacies, accounts, general hands working in the cleaning services as well as drivers ferrying patients.
