Nurses union welcomes Covid Home-Based Care
Botswana Nurses Union (BONU) has welcomed the Government’s decision to resort to home-based care for Covid cases that are not critical.
The Ministry of Health and Wellness has spent over P200 million in support of both quarantine and isolation facilities. BONU believes that adopting home-based care is a more sustainable strategy in the fight against Covid.
According to Public Relations Officer Aobakwe Lesolame, BONU recommended community-based Covid-19 mitigation measures at the beginning of the pandemic. “It is in line with the Primary Health care principles and they are cheap, affordable, sustainable and acceptable to the communities,” he said.
BONU hopes that Government will use the already existing communitybased structures like VDCs, Village Health Committees, Farmers’ committees, Community home-based care committees and PTAs to develop and implement Covid-19 mitigation measures. Most importantly, homebased care will enable health facilities to focus more on severe cases of Covid-19 hence improved health service provision. BONU believes that health education and community participation should be at the forefront of Covid-19 mitigation measures, as they will enable improved compliance to precautionary measures and good health behaviours. “Densely populated areas like schools and churches should have Covid-19 clubs to enable active, easy and active interaction with health authorities,” Lesolame said. “We hope that they are implemented simultaneously so that we can aggressively reduce the impact of Covid-19 in our country,” Lesolame said. As of 10th of August, 18 793 people were on home isolation while 28 013 were on home quarantine and total national permanent bed occupancy for facility-based isolation on 10th of August 2021 was at five per cent, according to Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Edwin Dikoloti. Some members of the public are, however, worried and fear dying alone at home during home isolation. “When I tested positive for Covid, I was taken to an isolation centre to protect my family members since we stay in a self-contained house. “I found this very helpful, and I think if these isolation centres are closed, then we are likely to register more Covid cases,” Gofa Mere said. Old Naledi resident, Tsame Kopi stays with her three children and two nieces, and two of her children have already contracted Covid before and spread it to the whole family because isolation centres were full. She is worried that if Government’s pockets are drying out, then the spread of Covid might get worse.
She has seen families lose loved ones in the neighbourhood and many testing positive because of exposure in home isolation. Minister Dikoloti said when updating Parliament on the Covid situation in Botswana that health care at home would be complemented with psychosocial support facilitated by the ministry. He said some small information packages including the dos and don’ts will be given to those in quarantine and isolation at home.
Helplines will also be availed to all those on home care to self-report and register within their locality, to be monitored while the care provider, using clinically available data, can trigger care to a household identified.
The helpline also enables the client to trigger an emergency evacuation or consultation in the event of feeling unwell or sudden deterioration.
The ministry has also pledged to intensify public education on its home care strategy with a view to ensuring that patients are fully supported. [Supported by WAN-IFRA WIN SIRI]