The Upper East Regional Health Directorate has disclosed that the patient who tested positive of COVID-19 at the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital was discharged on Thursday, April 3, 2020, upon a request by the husband before her diagnosis.
Even though samples were sent to Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research for investigations, the patient left the hospital for her house on Thursday, April 3, 2020, a day before her sample tested positive.
The 33-year-old pregnant woman presented herself on March 28, 2020, at the hospital after week travel to Tarkwa in the Western Region with suspected symptoms of COVID-19.
Speaking at a press conference in Bolgatanga, Upper East Regional Director of Health Services, Dr. Winfred Ofosu,
denied allegations of the patient forcefully leaving the facility over lack of care by health personnel.
“The allegations that the husband of the patient forcefully took her home from the hospital is untrue. The patient was in the ward, she had recovered, her symptoms had remitted and there was no active treatment ongoing so, they requested to be discharged.”
“The slip was that they were not properly informed that the patient was been investigated for COVID-19 but they were asked to self isolate the patient, so that was how they went home.”
Dr. Ofosu indicated that the COVID-19 patient is a mild case that can be managed at home but the patient has been brought to the hospital due to a lack of proper caregivers to cater for the patient at home.
“We should have trained the caregiver at home and the rapid response team should have been properly aware and designate someone to monitor the patient at home while she is on self-isolation.”
Dr. Ofosu added that 11 of the patient’s close contacts have been identified for investigations.
He hinted that the maternity block of the hospital that rendered service to the COVID-19 patient will be disinfected on Monday, April 6, 2020, and resume operations on Tuesday, April 7.
Dr. Ofosu stated that the region has no ventilator to manage severe COVID-19 case but could arrange for one from Accra if the need arises.
He, however, declined to answer how samples taken from the region are sent to Kumasi for testing upon allegations that they were given to O.A transport service to be taken to Kumasi.
So far, the region has recorded 28 suspected cases, out of which 27 tested negative and one positive.
Source: CNR
