UPDATE FROM 27TH APRIL TO 1ST MAY 2020 - Mercy Women Catholic Hospital

PROTECTION OF STAFF

Provision of PPE’S for staff still on-going
Monitoring of screening and pre-triaging processes

PROTECTION OF PATIENTS AND CLIENTS

Distributions of Masks to patients exhibiting respiratory illness are always ensured.
Health education on Wards still on-going

EDUCATION OF GENERAL POPULATION

Health education about COVID 19 on radio stations have been on-going

INTRODUCTION

This report covers update from 27^TH April 2020 to 1^ST May 2020 and entails the management of a 3^rd and 4^th suspected cases of Covid-19 at Mercy Women’s Catholic Hospital (MWCH).

THE SCREENING TEAM

Monitoring of the screening process and distribution of tissue papers, hand sanitizers and soaps for hand hygiene were carried out on daily basis in the week under review. The screening team held a meeting for the triaging staff on 27^th of April, 2020.

THE COMMUNICATION TEAM

Health Education at the facility –Education at the facility has been on-going at OPD, Male ward, Female ward and other units.
Public education outside the facility

Health education on COVID-19 on radio stations has been on-going mainly at Coastal FM. Health education discussions were centred on precautionary measures of Covid-19.

INFECTION PREVENTION AND CONTROL TEAM

Disinfection at the facility: Regular cleaning of the facility using disinfectant is being done on daily basis.
Ensuring social distancing: The policy of one visitor to a patient instituted earlier on is being enforced.
Protocol on case management as well as donning and removing of PPE’S has been made available.

SUSPECTED CASE MANAGEMENT TEAM

The case management team is responsible for ensuring that patients or Staff who meets the case definition of COVID-19 is given the needed care until the case is confirmed or otherwise.

UPDATE ON THE 3rd SUSPECTED CASE OF COVID-19

Caring for the Patient

The suspected case management team was activated and they have been caring for the patient by following protocols for barrier nursing. The suspected case management team was caring for the patient until 30th of April 2020 where the relative and patient decided to forcibly leave to Accra where they are from because they were not having any place to stay at Mankessim. They were having issue with feeding the patient and the result was taking too long to be ready. The result was ready on the 30^th of April 2020 just after the patient had left. ( 9 days after sample collection) and was negative.

RECORD OF A 4TH SUSPECTED CASE OF COVID-19

A patient reported to the facility on Monday, 29^thof April, 2020 at around 2:30pm. The patient met the case definition for covid-19 after going through the screening process. The suspected case management team was activated. DHMT was informed for sample to be taken and sent to Noguchi. The patient was given a face mask and isolated at the holding area. The result is still pending

Contact with DHMT

Protocol for patient flow in Covid-19 was followed.

The Chairman for Covid-19 was contacted and informed about the suspected case. The suspected Case Management Team was activated to care for the patient. DHMT took the sample to Noguchi on1st May, 2020.

Caring for the Patient

Patient relative together with the patient decided to self-quarantine at home because they could not take care of the feeding of the patient. The suspected case management team went to the house of the patient to verify the conduciveness of the place for quarantining. The suspected case patient of covid-19 has been quarantined at home.

CHALLENGES

Shortage of logistics such as tissue paper, face mask and hand sanitizers
Result for laboratory test for Covid-19 takes too long thereby putting pressure on the suspected case management team.

LOGISTICS

MWCH have been having its challenges with logistics but has managed to provide all the logistics needed for the fight against covid-19. Some of the logistics were donations from NCHS, Archdiocesan Health Services Secretariat, St Paul’s Catholic Church Mankessim, CARITAS AD of Cape Coast, Mankessim Traditional Council, Member of Parliament for Mfantseman Constituency Hon. Hayford Quansah, Assembly member for New Nkusukum Electoral area Hon. Mohammed Ekow Arthur.