Advertisement

Burkinabe Cleric Seeking Partnership Toward Medical Equipment, Training in COVID-19 Fight

Fr. Modeste Ouedraogo, a Camillian Cleric serving as a medical doctor at Saint Camillus Hospital in Burkina Faso’s capital, Ouagadougou.

A Catholic Priest practicing medicine in his native country of Burkina Faso is seeking partnerships that can facilitate the provision of medical supplies and the capacity building of the staff who look after those infected by the coronavirus.

“We appeal to the international community and people of goodwill to help equip hospitals and train our staff to better manage COVID-19 patients,” Fr. Modeste Ouedraogo told Agenzia Fides in an interview.

Fr. Modeste who serves as a medical doctor at Saint Camillus Hospital in Burkina Faso’s capital, Ouagadougou, said that the medical facilities in the country have deficiencies in financial and human capacity “in the treatment of the most serious cases (of COVID-19) due to lack of resources and qualified personnel.”

“There is the lack of means and resources. We have only seventeen respirators for 20 million people and only three hospitals equipped and dedicated to COVID-19 patients. There is a lack of masks and protective equipment for the population and hospitals are poorly staffed,” the Burkinabe Cleric explained.

Burkina Faso has recorded at least 1,000 cases of COVID-19 that also include 53 fatalities and 858 recoveries, according to statistics from Worldometers.

Advertisement

In the July 4 interview, the member of the Religious Order of the Camillians further said, “At Saint Camillus Hospital, there are about 401 permanent employees and 100 external employees who care for about 900 patients daily. The government supports the hospital by paying the salaries of 50 employees.”

“The only laboratory in the region is located in Bobo-Dioulasso in Houet Province, about five-hour drive from the capital,” he said and added, “This means that suspicious cases throughout the country must wait “at least twelve hours for their results.”

In order to accelerate the tests for COVID-19, the Burkinabe Cleric explained that “the hospital, in agreement with the government, made available its biomolecular research center to carry out diagnostic tests.”

“So far, we have performed more than 1500 swabs,” Fr. Modeste said, adding that the hospital has also “produced hydroalcoholic solution (hand sanitizers) for both its needs and that of the population.”

“An isolation room has been set up in the hospital to receive suspicious cases pending diagnostic confirmation. However, there are only six beds in the emergency ward,” he further said.

More in Africa

Reflecting on the reaction of people in Africa to the pandemic, Fr. Modeste said, “Seeing so many deaths in Western countries, everyone wondered how Africa would react to such a pandemic. The reaction of the people of Burkina Faso was one of great fear.”

He also pointed out that the restrictive measures imposed by the government to stop the spread of the disease “created a new problem in a country already suffering from poverty.”

“The majority of the population survives by selling something on the street, hoping to get enough to provide a daily meal for their family,” he said adding that COVID-19 restrictions have made it difficult for many in Burkina Faso to make ends meet.

In the face of such situations, “the first impulse is to turn to God in prayer,” the Cleric said adding that “the Bishops sent a prayer to be recited in families.”

Jude Atemanke is a Cameroonian journalist with a passion for Catholic Church communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Buea in Cameroon. Currently, Jude serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.