Family disagrees with hospital for declaring relative died of COVID-19

Since COVID-19 broke out in Cameroon two months ago, government has put in place a series of measures to combat the virus as well as to make it easy for almost everyone to have access to possible treatment.

This has not come without it’s own weak points.

From exorbitant bills in private medical institutions to alleged false diagnosis, many have decried the input of some private health institutions.

Upon returning, the family says they were asked to pay 1.5 million FCFA (close to $2,500) before they can see their father. Unable to afford the sum, the health personnel notified the family that their father passed away from the COVID-19 virus, sparking outrage at the hospital.One of the most recent cases includes a family in Douala that battled over a corpse yesterday. In a social media video, they explain that they were asked to deposit the sum of 250,000 FCFA (about 500 US dollars) and will be called back, which they did.

Upon returning, the family says they were asked to pay 1.5 million FCFA (close to $2,500) before they can see their father. Unable to afford the sum, the health personnel notified the family that their father passed away from the COVID-19 virus, sparking outrage at the hospital.

To them, their patient never died of the virus. “How does he (the doctor) want me to sign that papa has COVID-19 when he doesn’t? … They had said he had a cardiac arrest” says one of the angry family members.

Yesterday’s incident is one of several others that has put the family of a deceased patient at loggerheads with hospital authorities.

About a week ago a doctor in a Douala hospital was beaten up by the family of a lady who passed away for diagnosing her with COVID-19. Their mother they said died of some other disease.

Though government has condemned the aggression against medical staff, they say they need more than that and are not being well appreciated for their role in the fight against the deadly virus.