The Kasese District authorities want government and the health partners to support them establish an oxygen plant as Covid-19 Cases increase.
According to the district Health Officer -DHO Dr. Yusuf Baseka, they want government to support local health facilities with oxygen concentrators and equipment to establish isolation centres before things get completely out of hand.
In the new wave, Kasese has recorded over 70 cases within two weeks and five of these are in critical stages.
The District COVID-19 task force is currently, stuck with patients after the regional referral hospital got filled up.
In the region, Fort Portal Regional referral hospital was designated to handle patients from across the Tooro-Rwenzori areas as the government decentralized COVID-19 case treatment centres.
However, Baseka says his district is struggling to provide oxygen to critically ill patients, something that is affecting general management of Covid-19 cases.
The DHO is also worried that patients undergoing home based care may not fully adhere to the medical precautions hence exposing both their families and the community to a risk.
Adding that the Covid-19 situation in Kasese is worsening in the absence of basic health requirements.
Baseka argues that if the district doesn't urgently acquire oxygen cylinders and concentrators, the community they are serving might perish.
The call was also supported by Joshua Masereka, the deputy RDC Kasese who said that the remoteness of the district needs to urgently be considered by government.
according to Dr. Edward Wefula the Kilembe Mines hospital medical superintendent, the facility is also struggling with high demand of patients in need of Oxygen. Currently the hospital cannot be in position to meet the excess oxygen demands.
