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Gulu, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Gulu district COVID-19 taskforce is seeking to create a holding centre at Gulu Region Referral Hospital for treating children infected with COVID-19.
Dozens of breastfeeding mothers who tested positive for the virus disease are undergoing treatment at the facility. Already one of the six infants aged between six months and three years accompanying their mothers has tested positive for the virus.
However, the recently expanded multi-drug resistant tuberculosis ward at the hospital from 12 to 74-bed capacity COVID-19 treatment unit did not factor a holding centre for the children infected with the virus.
Bishop Loum Janani, the in-charge of integrated case management at the hospital and head of surveillance committee under the taskforce revealed that treating such infants alongside adult patients is a challenge for the facility.
Janani says that currently the treatment unit has admitted a COVID-19 positive couple with their one-year-old daughter yet it is improper and not recommended for adults to share such treatment facility with children.
In May, Gulu Regional Referral Hospital admitted and also treated a four-year-old child with the virus.
Dr Paul Mawanda, a medical consultant with the World Health Organization said such children are admitted to ensure proper feeding which is key in the fight of the virus.
The taskforce chairperson Maj. Santo Okot Lapolo who is also the Resident District Commissioner observed that lack of financial resources remains a hindrance in the implementation of some such plans.
According to Yoweri Idiba, the situation report for the district indicates that the taskforce has admitted up to 163 COVID-19 patients since March including the two children. Of those, 112 patients have fully recovered and were discharged while 51 are still receiving treatment.
Overall in Uganda, up to 55 children have been affected by the virus since March.
According to The World Health Organization, globally, child deaths are low because severe novel COVID-19 infections are rare among children.
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