At 9 months pregnant, Mathilda Agamu is traumatized by the stigma she is dealing with immediately after becoming the first individual to examination optimistic for the coronavirus at Bolgatanga in the Higher East Region.
Following becoming declared recovered from the ailment, however, she is unable to open her shop in the market because other traders there stigmatize and overtly abuse her any time she demonstrates up.
Mathilda boldly declined when JoyNews questioned if she wanted her identification hidden for the function of this tale.
“I have almost nothing to conceal and my identification is presently community knowledge” she reported.
Narrating her ordeal, the 34-year outdated mother who is anticipating her third youngster shortly, mentioned even her 8-calendar year-aged daughter was pelted with stones by other small children who accused her of trying to unfold the coronavirus in their group.
Background
A tiny in excess of a thirty day period ago, a expecting Mathilda took ill and was admitted at the Maternity Ward of the Bolgatanga Hospital.
She had a sore throat and was demonstrating other indications of the coronavirus.
She later on examined optimistic for the virus, getting the very first Covid-19 individual in the Higher East Area.
Mathilda stated her identification and the success of her coronavirus take a look at somehow designed it into the community area.
“Immediately my (examination) benefits came out, I really don’t know what transpired another person quickly posted (a picture of) my husband and I on Fb and reported that we had operate absent and that we had the virus”, a distraught Mathilda stated, including “the information quickly distribute across the total Upper East”.
Stigma
That was how individuals inside and outdoors the community started to stigmatize Mathilda and the rest of her household.
Very first, even though Mathilda was nonetheless in isolation at the treatment method center, her eight-yr-old daughter was place by way of a alternatively agonizing ordeal.
Battling again tears, Mathilda narrated how her daughter experienced been despatched on an errand and was pelted with stones by other small children in their group.
“As shortly as she left the dwelling, they (the little ones) started off stoning her. And even their mothers were being sitting beneath trees and watching the youngsters toss stones at my daughter”, Mathilda explained, as she tried out to stop herself from bursting into tears.
“They reported my daughter was suffering from Covid-19. She was crying but they continued throwing stones at her and she experienced to operate for her daily life, back again into the house”, Mathilda narrated more.
When Mathilda recovered from the virus and was discharged from the clinic, she was also met with stigmatization.
“I sit in the market to sell. So when they (the other traders) read I had been discharged, they (delegated someone who) named and instructed me not to come and sit with them. Normally, they will not get any consumers for the reason that of my sickness”, Mathilda claimed.
She additional that she then resolved to allow her more youthful sister go to the marketplace and work her shop but even then, they compelled her to lock up the shop and go away.
“People would just go there and inquire why she was sitting in a store belonging to a woman who experienced Covid-19? Then they will say to her ‘go residence or you will be infected’. Responses like that received my sister indignant so she experienced to lock up and go home”, Mathilda discussed.
Economic Hardship
Mathilda and her partner are equally traders.
He also analyzed constructive for the coronavirus and is at this time in isolation at the remedy centre at the Bolgatanga hospital.
This has resulted in some fiscal issues for Mathilda’s loved ones since with all that has absent on in the earlier thirty day period, they have not been in a position to have interaction in their buying and selling routines.
“I am now 38 months expecting so any instant from now, I will set to bed. And we have not been ready to prepare to welcome this little one because my store is locked up and my spouse is in isolation”, Mathilda explained with tears gathering in the corners of her eyes.
“I am attractive to everybody to come to my support. It is not just for me but for my toddler far too. And the newborn is innocent”, she appealed.
Mathilda has now examined destructive for the coronavirus, declared recovered by the Ghana Well being Company and discharged but her story leaves some questions begging for solutions.
For occasion, how very seriously are healthcare personnel managing the issue of patient confidentially in the wake of this coronavirus pandemic?
And, with all the schooling going on about the coronavirus, how substantially of the instruction is addressing the challenge of stigmatization?
