A 51-year old house agent in Kongowea on Saturday evening collapsed and died shortly after refusing to board a Covid-19 ambulance.
Kayumba Rajab had told neighbours he suspected he had the virus after presenting Covid-19 symptoms, although he had been ailing before.
His elder brother Said Rajab, 53, said Kayumba had been having chest problems for years.
“He frequently had the cold that would lead to chest pains that made it difficult for him to breath. He has been on treatment for years,” Said told the Star on Sunday morning.
On Saturday morning, Kayumba, who was at his home at Ratna Square area of Kongowea, told neighbours he needed to be checked.
Neigbours called Mama Shamsa who in turn called Public health officials at around 11am.
Mama Shamsa is the Nyali subcounty District Peace Committee chair.
“They came and talked to Kayumba before declaring that he had the symptoms. They then left saying they were going to prepare a bed for him and that an ambulance would come shortly,” said Shamsa on the phone.
The ambulance came many hours later, some minutes to 7pm.
“At around 3pm, I was called again and told the ambulance was yet to arrive,” said Mama Shamsa.
When the ambulance came, Kayumba refused to board.
He told neighbours he would go to the hospital Sunday morning and that he felt he would get better.
“The ambulance left and this is what made us mad. How come they left him in that state knowing he was presenting the classic symptoms of Covid-19? They are trained professionals and they needed to find ways of ensuring he boarded the ambulance,” said Mama Shamsa.
After the ambulance left, neighbours said, Kayumba sent for a bottle of soda and a loaf of bread saying he was hungry.
“When the neighbour knocked on his door to deliver the soda and bread, he heard Kayumba moving towards the door but then felt a loud thump and something hit the door from inside,” said Mama Shamsa.
It was the sound of Kayumba’s body thumping against the door and onto the floor.
“At around 6.45pm, I was called for the third time and was informed that Kayumba had collapsed and had stopped responding to those calling his name, which he did for about five minutes before falling silent,” Mama Shamsa said.
The body stayed overnight in the room, as public health officials only arrived Sunday 10.30am.
Kayumba’s body was buried at the Kongowea public cemetery.
Residents and Muslims for Human Rights faulted the authorities for their handling of the matter.
“We regret that a patient died because they refused to board an ambulance. This means there is still fear over the disease,” said Muhuri rapid response officer Francis Auma.
Auma also said the late response for the Covid-19 ambulance team showed they are overwhelmed with cases and called on the county government find means of addressing the situation.
“We understand they are exhausted because the cases are many and the personnel inadequate. But they should have handled the matter more professionally.
“I’m sure there is a way to handle cases where a patient is hostile. They should have been trained on that,” said Auma.
He also noted that the government has already created fear of the quarantine areas by the way they handled the first cases.
Now, Auma said, the fear has led to stigmatization and eventual refusal by resident to test for Covi-19.
“But we as Muhuri would like to encourage people not to fear. They should go for the mass testing and if found positive, let the medics take care of them,” said Auma.
Auma said there is need for more aggressive sensitization campaigns on Covid-19 to tackle the stigma around the disease and make people understand that having it is not a death sentence.
Mombasa county health executive Hazel Koitaba and county public health chief officer Khadija Shikely were not immediately available for comment.
Neither picked calls to them from the Star or responded to text messages sent to their phones.
Residents said the public health officials need to improve on their response.
"From morning around 10.45am and the ambulance arrives at 6pm? What response is that?” posed one.
“I accept we have broken down or stretched systems,” said another.
“The Muslim Janaza and other human rights groups are there. It’s sad to not see response by the authorities despite numerous reminders,” said a resident.