NOBODY IS IMMUNE!

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It can be argued that one of the reasons some people continue to demonstrate a passive attitude towards calls for full adherence to the COVID-19 regulations is the belief that this virus only kills those with pre-existing health conditions and the elderly. This false assumption may have been drawn from the trend observed during the first wave of the virus.

The second wave figures, however, are painting a different story. In our analysis of the statistics released by the Minister of Health, Lizzie Nkosi, over the past 21 days, about 55 of the 155 COVID-19-related deaths recorded during this period were of people who had no reported underlying health conditions or comorbidities.

Escalating the possibility of fatalities is the shortage of bed space, particularly intensive care unit (ICU) facilities, to admit critically ill patients. Added to this, is the serious shortage of health personnel to attend to the high number of patients.

attitude 

This should serve as a stern caution that our attitude towards the coronavirus pandemic requires unison of thought and action to avoid the need for medical attention if we are to curb its spread and save lives.

We also ought to be cautious against placing full trust in self-prescribed remedies without consulting health practitioners when COVID-19 signs and symptoms emerge. Several deaths have been attributed to delayed medical attention. 

We should also bear in mind that our response to calls for responsible behaviour will help the Health Ministry sooner get back to focusing on its full mandate and utilising its resources equitably.

Institutions such as the National Psychiatric Referral Hospital cannot be allowed to deteriorate to levels where patients are allegedly sexually abused due to lack of care and attention; nor can we afford to have expectant mothers endure an added pain of leaking roofs at the maternity ward at Sithobela Health Centre.

embarrassing 

It is equally embarrassing to have an E88 million health facility with no staff simply because we trained more soldiers than nurses and allocated a bigger budget to the security forces at the expense of our health infrastructure. These are some of the very painful lessons to be learnt from this current episode. As a populace, we dare not repeat the same mistakes. 

Let us listen to professional advice and heed the COVID-19 regulations to help stop COVID-19 because none of us are immune from it.

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