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Haiti - Covid-19 : Médecin Sans Frontière sounds the alarm
07/06/2020 10:35:10
The number of Covid-19 positive people in Haiti has increased significantly, from 100 cases to 3,072 https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30963-haiti-flash-the-country-crosses-the-bar-of-3-000-cases.html in less than a month, and 50 deaths https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30961-haiti-covid-19-daily-report-june-6-2020.html declared Médecins Sans Frontières believing that the real figures are probably much higher.
Remember that MSF opened a Covid-19 treatment center on May 16 in Drouillard https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30794-haiti-health-msf-opens-a-center-dedicated-to-patients-with-covid-19.html with a current capacity of 45 beds to meet needs (originally 20 beds). MSF teams are currently treating 25 patients in the center, many of whom are seriously ill.
"Around 60 other patients are followed on an outpatient basis by the teams In Port-au-Prince and in the south, in Port-à-Piment and Port-Salut, MSF has also set up triage areas and isolation units for patients with Covid-19 in all health facilities that the organization supports, such as in the main hospital in Les Cayes," said Hassan Issa, MSF chief of mission in Haiti adding "Some patients come to us with positive test results, and others who need oxygen or hospitalization are treated while we send their test to a government-run laboratory."
MSF is also concerned that many people with symptoms of Covid-19 are not going to the hospital for treatment, which is fueling the spread in communities and reducing the chances of survival for individuals. "As the spread of the virus accelerates, so does the stigma around it," said Issa, adding "Many people with symptoms of Covid-19 are slow to come or forgo treatment [...] A dozen patients died on arrival and many more were in critical condition [...] in light of this, we continue to carry out health promotion activities and call those with symptoms of Covid-19 to seek immediate care, as this can significantly improve their chances of being treated successfully."
HL/ HaitiLibre
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