Following the admission that some hinterland communities affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) are not being monitored as they should be, Minister of Health Dr Frank Anthony on Friday explained that the lack of cellular services in those areas is making health responses more difficult.
According to Regional Councillor Marlon Edwards, the two persons who died after contracting COVID-19 in Karasabai were not being monitored by health officials even though they were displaying severe symptoms of the disease. The two patients, Alexander Leo and Arnacette Nicholas, died in Karasabai before receiving their test results despite being tested prior to their deaths.
During a virtual press conference, Anthony said that one of the challenges that authorities are facing in hinterland areas is the lack of telephones or cellular signals. He said the when the test result for a person living in a far-flung community returns positive, a health team would have to dispatch someone to the community to inform that person of his/her results. “Therefore there have been those challenges that we have encountered… but we are still trying to figure out how we can improve on this.”
The Regional Chairman of Region Nine had stated that as a result of the two deaths in Karasabai, elderly patients with underlying health conditions will be transported to Lethem even if they are still awaiting their results. He disclosed that so far, three persons fitting this criteria have been brought out from Karasabai following the deaths of Leo and Nicholas.
