By Nathan Eyagu

Soroti Regional Referral Hospital has registered a big number of covid 19 cases as compared to other COVID19 treatment units in the country.

This was revealed by Soroti COVID-19 focal person, Dr.John Etonu who told media that the covid 19 unit has more than 70 covid 19 patients as compared to other regions as most of the cases are from different districts around the Teso sub-region.

"Most of these cases are the elderly people who were delayed on self-treatment at home and later on brought to the covid unit after the relatives failed to see any change in the patients," He said

Oxygen supply in the hospital

He further explained that an inadequate supply of oxygen due to the limited number of cylinders made it challenging for them to carry out their duties effectively following the overwhelmed number of patients.

‘’I want to report that just about 2 to 3 months ago, our truck would go and pick about 30 to 40 oxygen cylinders in Kampala as we had a few cylinders but today we have about160 cylinders of oxygen as compared to the 60cylinders that we had before." Dr. Etolu told journalists

To solve the problem of delay in the transportation of oxygen cylinders from Kampala to Soroti then vice versa for a refill as the truck donated to the hospital has mechanical issues, the team met with the ministry of health officials and agreed that the ministry gives them a stand by truck for the Soroti regional referral hospital that will be going to Kampala twice a week for oxygen as it’s an essential drug for the patients in the covid unit." He added

How the second wave hit the region

‘' In the first wave, we lost 15 patients and the second wave we lost a very big number of about more than 70 patients as it was deadly as we also registered very many cases but as a hospital in the region'' He said

As a regional referral hospital, Dr. Etolu added that they are anticipating the third wave but if they prepared sufficiently, there will be no need for another lockdown compared to the second wave as the cases overwhelmed as they lost many lives because of various issues majorly oxygen after doing audits to the cause of deaths.

And further predicted the third wave to be more deadly than the second wave if nothing is done early.

‘’At the  level of the ministry of the treatment centers, we need a lot of human resource as people going to work need PPE’s to be available more so oxygen as we have been promised a new oxygen plant by UNICEF and will be installed sometime next month plus our existing plant, we should be able to help our patients better if the third wave comes up as we also have regulators that have improved  the amount of oxygen as its no longer  an issue as though it's only one but when we get another one, it will help a lot ‘’ he explained

About the Covid 19 vaccination program.

Following the long-awaited vaccination program that most locals have been eager for,  Dr.Etolu explained that the district started its vaccination on Monday vaccinating people from covid and the vaccines are available in all hospitals in the district and can be got from different health centers (iii) as they received about 2000 doses as a district and prioritized the teachers, elderly and those meant to get their second doses to do so as they hope to get vaccines for the young ones too below the age of 18.