By Takawira Photovet Dapi
Acting Hwedza District Medical Officer Dr Herbert Bandiki reportedly chased after a Covid-19 patient who had escaped from a quarantine room, bringing business at the centre to a halt.
The man, who had tested positive for Covid-19, could not stomach being quarantined and reportedly took to his heels after taking advantage of laxity in security.
In an interview with H-Metro, Dr Bandiki confirmed the drama urging Covid-19 positive patients to cooperate with medical teams.
“Yes, we have a 23-year-old man who ran away from the isolation ward at Hwedza Hospital on Wednesday the 7th of July 2021.
“What happened is that when he came to the hospital, he showed symptoms of pneumonia, having some difficulties in breathing and we admitted him.
“As is the procedure, we admitted the patient, administered drugs, and in the afternoon, maybe he thought he felt better.
“So when I was about to get another injection whilst the patient was in the ward, he ran out of the isolation ward.
“When we were trying to apprehend him, this patient was violent that we then tried to get help form the police.
“Currently, the patient is being monitored at his homestead. We then tested the mother who came out negative and the other contacts he met,” said Dr Bandiki.
Asked how the patient turned violent, he narrated:
“He picked up some bricks from a nearby construction site and threatened to attack people who were trying to apprehend him.”
On whether the hospital security, medical team and other staff assisted him, Dr Bandiki detailed:
“Yes and I was one of those who ran after him through a nearby bush area.
“We then contacted the police and finally our environmental health officer went to that homestead and did some health education there.
“The patient is recovering very well at home, his mother even confirmed that he is difficult to convince when it comes to injections,” he said.
On what must be done to curb the injection phobia during and after Covid-19 era, he added:
“We might not say something which is broad, we need to know our patients, we need to know what they prefer and we are supposed to also give them some treatment alternatives, so I think as for this case, we were supposed to have discussed some treatment alternatives.
“It is not that this patient was not aware of the condition that he had, he knew the condition that he had and he complied, he was admitted initially, then came the issue of injection, that is when he escaped, so I think it’s a matter of discussing with our patient what the mode of treatment they prefer and other options we can offer the patient.”
He also expressed his concern over people not wearing masks as well as people gathering for public services like transport. H-Metro
