Kasungu hospital run out of oxygen for Covid-19 patients, nurse dies

Kasungu district hospital  authorities have lamented that treating Covid-19 patients at the facility is now a threat because of severe oxygen shortages.

The hospital spokesperson Catherine Yoweli said currently the facility have two empty oxygen cylinders only despite the rising cases of the virus.

According to her, the facility lost one of its nurse diagnosed with Covid-19 due to the same problem.

“What we do is that we send such patients to Kamuzu Central Hospital in Lilongwe which is about 130 kilometers away,” she said.

Yoweli then asked for a help from well-wishers, saying the problem is “urgent.”

One of the health personnel who opted for anonymous said as Covid-19 spreads in the district, a potentially deadly lack of oxygen is leaving patients gasping for breath.

“Many are having to go without this essential treatment,” he said.

Reacting to the development, Mzuzu-based social commentator Jackson Msiska urged residents of Kasungu join hands in raising the fund to deal with the problem than waiting for government.

According to him, the residents should not wait for government only.

“We have seen number of individuals raising fund for such projects. And Kasungu has number of MPs, organizations and business community who can emulate what their colleagues are doing in other districts,” he said.

Kasungu District Hospital has a catchment of not less than 900,000 people.

The district has 132 confirmed Covid-19 cases, 75 of which are active with only two deaths.