Information reaching DAILY GUIDE indicates that about 39 health personnel of the Ho Teaching Hospital (HTH) in the Volta regional capital are in self quarantine over their exposure to a patient who has tested positive for coronavirus (Covid-19).
The staff, which include 10 doctors, 28 nurses and an orderly person, were reported to have come into contact with a 50-year-old woman, who was brought to the hospital unconscious on May 10, for medical care.
The health personnel were able to resuscitate the patient and considering her history and the heightened surveillance protocol of the facility, the patient’s sample was taken for Covid-19 testing at the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS).
The Deputy Volta Regional Director of Health Services, Dr. Senanu Kwesi Djokoto, who confirmed the incident, noted that the test results from UHAS came in on the same day.
He said majority of the personnel were being isolated in facilities of the hospital; while the few whose homes have the capacity for self-quarantine have been allowed to do so.
He clarified that all health personnel were in PPEs, however, they were not fully gowned as is done when attending to confirmed Covid-19 patients, hence the precautionary self-quarantine to ensure no stone was left unturned.
The Public Relations Officer of the HTH, Amos Jah Kieh, noted that the accident and emergency centre was closed immediately the results came in for disinfection on May 11. It was re-opened last Wednesday May 13, for normal duties, he added.
In dealing with the shortfall due to the mandatory 14 days isolation of their staff, Mr. Kieh said, “Doctors and nurses from other units and departments have been roped in to assist with the smooth running of the unit.”
Mr. Jah Kieh stressed that “the HTH has always maintained strict protocols.” The reason they have successfully run samples for over 60 clients out of which 3 have tested positive with one additional person through contact tracing. “So this is unfortunate but clearly will not be repeated,” he noted.
He said the samples of all the health personnel have been taken but their results are yet to come in.
From Fred Duodu, Ho (k.duodu@yahoo.com)