Drivers at Begoro in the Eastern Region are reportedly refusing to pick Nurses at Begoro Government Hospital for fear of contracting coronavirus.
The stigmatization started after the Hospital recorded the first positive case of coronavirus on April 11, 2020.
On April 5, 2020, the 65-year-old man was admitted at the male ward of the Hospital on the reported case of query tuberculosis but on the next day, he developed dyspnea and fever of about 40 degree Celsius which management became suspicious hence took his sample to Noguchi which he tested positive.
Dozens of exposed Staff of the hospital who had contact with the patient have been quarantined
The male ward has since been closed for fumigation while patients who were on admission with him have all been quarantined for observation and testing.
Since the information broke out, there is anxiety in the district creating high stigmatization against health workers at the facility.
A Deputy Director of Nursing Services (DDNS) at the Begoro Government Hospital, Millicent Annor told the media Wednesday, April 15, 2020, that the level of stigmatization in the community is discouraging to health workers.
“So for people in the community to stigmatize us and the facility that because they’ve heard that there is a confirmed case so they won’t attend or access the facility it’s not good”.
She continued that, food sellers in the community also refusing to sell to the Nurses with few others who sell use polythene bag to collect the monies.
According to her the Hospital is “liaising with the District Assembly and the NCCE to give the sensitization and information to the community.”
This was revealed when the parliamentary aspirant for the opposition National Democratic Congress in the Fanteakwa North Constituency, Haruna Apau Wiredu, donated Veronica hand washing buckets, dustbins, hand sanitizers, liquid soaps, and Tissue papers to health facilities, Market Centers, traditional council and political parties in the District.
Haruna Apau Wiredu said the donation is to help contain the spread of the disease in the constituency. He urged residents to adhere to all preventive protocols.
Source: Mybrytfmonline/Obed Ansah
