Home nurses in demand
Sunday May 02 2021
Kenyans healing from virus hire nursing assistants to help monitor oxygen levels and body aches. PHOTO | SHUTTERSTOCK
By PURITY WANJOHI
Summary
Dealing with coronavirus at home, and the old and terminally-ill fear of visiting hospitals force Kenyans to hire nurse aides, creating new jobs.
On a Sunday in Nairobi’s Karen, a nurse walks into a home with Covid-19 patients. She is given new gloves, two masks, protective gear (PPE suit and a face shield mask.)
Three of the family members have coronavirus with mild to severe symptoms and are isolating at home.
She then walks to each bedroom to check the patients’ temperatures, oxygen levels and sore throats. After ensuring that they are recuperating well, steaming daily, and taking Vitamin C and Zinc supplements, she leaves and comes after two days to the same routine.