CONAKRY- In Guinea, a spike in Covid-19 cases has saturated epidemiological treatment centers in the country. Due to a lack of space in hospitals, Covid-19 patients are forced to isolate themselves at home, on the recommendation of the National Health and Security Agency (ANSS).
In the capital Conakry, there are four functioning epidemiological treatment centers: Nongo, Gbessia, Camp Alpha Yaya, and Kenien, all of which are full. Donka Hospital is closed.
As many sick patients don’t know what to do, some fear the worst. “My sister went to the Flamboyant Hospital in Petit Simbaya for the Covid test on Wednesday. Today we went to take the results, she is positive. The doctors told us to go to the Nongo Epidemiological Treatment Center. When we got there, we were told there is no room. They recommended that we go to the Gbessia center. There too, there is no room,” a sibling of a Covid-19 patient who asked the remain anonymous said.
The sibling of a Covid-19 patient continued. “From there we went to Camp Alpha Yaya Diallo, they made us understand that they only take the sick on recommendation. I called 115, they said they’ll get back to me, I’ve been waiting for almost an hour, they haven’t called me back. I am with my sister in the car and I do not know what to do. I took the test last Saturday, I’m negative. I’m afraid to go home with her since she has 3 daughters who are all students. We do not know if these are positive or not. Really, I do not know what to do,” they said.
Reached by phone, the communications manager of ANSS confirmed that the treatment centers were full. “It is true that the centers in Nongo, Gbessia are full because there are more sick people entering than cured people leaving. Even yesterday, we had 3 similar cases, there was no room. The ANSS took their contacts and asked them to return home while waiting to have a free place,” explained Sory Keira, who added that a new center is under construction in Sonfonia and which could be operational by the next week.