Isolation ward full, patients housed in Emergency Department as flu-like illness spreads across Honiara
BY NED GAGAHE
Tuberculosis (TB) cases are reportedly increasing in Honiara, with the National Referral Hospital’s (NRH) TB isolation ward reportedly overwhelmed.
Reports reaching Island Sun indicate that some TB patients are now being accommodated in the hospital’s Emergency Department due to the lack of available isolation beds.
Reliable sources within NRH confirmed that the hospital has no immediate alternative but to temporarily place TB patients in the Emergency Department, raising concerns about the potential risk of exposure to other patients, visitors and frontline health workers.
Island Sun understands that as of yesterday, several TB patients were still being cared for in the Emergency Department.
The newspaper sent questions to the Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) on Monday seeking confirmation and comment on the reported increase in TB cases and the use of the Emergency Department to house patients.
The ministry said they are working on a response.
However, no response had been received by the time the paper went to print last night.
The reported rise in TB cases comes amid growing claims of an increase in flu-like illnesses across Honiara over the past weeks.
Residents have reported experiencing symptoms including fever, dry cough, body aches, runny nose and sore throat.
The cause of the reported illness remains unclear, with health authorities yet to confirm whether the cases are linked to influenza, COVID-19 or another respiratory virus.
Director of Health at the Honiara City Council, Lawrence Diau, told Island Sun yesterday that he will verify the reports with HCC clinics before providing an update.
“I will verify with our clinics and get back to you,” Mr Diau said.
Attempts to contact him again yesterday afternoon were unsuccessful.
Meanwhile, Guadalcanal Province’s Supervising Provincial Health Director, Dr Rayboy Seleso, said there has been no indication so far that the reported illnesses has reached outbreak levels within the province.
“At the moment it has not triggered anything,” Dr Seleso said.
He explained that Good Samaritan Hospital, the province’s syndromic surveillance site responsible for monitoring diseases with outbreak potential, has not detected any unusual increase in cases.
“Once it picks up anything, Good Samaritan Hospital will inform the Guadalcanal health authority. At the moment I cannot confirm the reports, but I will check with them. The syndromic surveillance site at Good Samaritan Hospital has not reported anything yet,” he said.
Health authorities are expected to provide further clarification as monitoring continues.
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