People have been warned to take extra care of themselves and families as covid-19 continue to overstretch the countries health services.
Health and Medical Services Minister Dr. Culwick Togamana made the warning on Thursday during his daily covid-19 update to the nation.
The Health Minister warned that our health system cannot cater for all persons tested positive or showing symptoms of COVID-19 as the current isolation facilities within and outside of established health facilities are congested.
“That is why we have advised those with mild symptoms to strictly isolate at home and only moderate to severe cases brought to health facilities for clinical management,” Minister Togamana said.
He further warned that our health system have not been able to stay ahead of the rate at which the virus spreads.
This has resulted in under testing which is now targeted to prevent new pockets of COVID from emerging by testing people in areas where new cases are being reported.
It will become more challenging as the virus is spreading to the vast majority of the population residing in rural and remote parts of the country. These areas are already faced with limited health services and limited infrastructures.
The Ministry of Health and Medical Services is responding to this by coordinating increased medicine and other supply shipments to Provincial centers for further distribution to rural health centers.
Health workers looking after Area Health Centers, Clinics and Aid Posts are advised to undertake consistent stock reporting and forecasting to ensure timely prepositioning of adequate medicine stocks for replenishment.
Another in the list of challenges is the systematic ignorance of COVID-19 public health measures in communities and public places.
“Sad to say that people are no longer taking the COVID-19 measures seriously. Passing through our feeder roads in Honiara, I can see children and youths playing soccer and other sports. We still need to think of our elderlies and those with underlying medical conditions at home. Let’s not be complacent with the virus just yet,” Togamana said.
The Health Promotion teams both at the National and Provincial levels will continue to disseminate relevant COVID-19 key public health measures through various communication modes and people have been urged to pay attention to these messages and follow them.
-GCU Press