Mali hospitals battle covid-19 second wave

Mali is battling a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic. Critically ill covid-19 patients are treated at the Point G hospital in Bamako.  Like this facility, another health centre, where patients with mild symptoms undergo observation, is facing a deadly second wave.

"The main challenges related to Covid is the need for early diagnosis, early screening, which is why we have given a lot of priority to and equipped the triage centers, and also early management", Prof. Yacouba Tolouba, Head of the Covid-19 unit at Point G hospital said.

Doctors Without Borders in the country said they are seeing a slight decrease in the number of tests that are carried out on a weekly basis. They think that it’s because most people come for testing when they are in contact with positive patients.

"The second wave was much more deadly than the first, it must be said, and then there were many more cases during the second wave'', Health reference center doctor, Ténein Traoré said.

As at the time of filing this report, the West African nation has recorded more than 8,100 of confirmed coronavirus cases, 6,011 recoveries and 333 fatalities.