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“We need tight masks these ones are too thin and loose because there are houses with very
strong bad odour that you can smell while you are still outside. Some patients have T.B so
masks must be thick and tight so that they protect us. Focus group 7, organisation H)
“…You come across patients who have maggots all over the body and this gets blown away!
How can one be sure that you are protected like this?” Focus group 4, organisation D)
To deal with this challenge, volunteer caregivers expressed their frustrations and mentioned
that they helplessly neglected the aprons and poor quality gloves. They ended up not using
the aprons and used their bare hands to perform their duties:
“You have to tie these gloves on the wrist but by the time you finish bathing the patient your
hands are wet so you just wash your hands with water sometimes we just remove the glove
and risk with your bare hands and just pray that God will see and hear our prayer.”
(Focus group 10, organisation J)
“…And this plastic apron is too light like a paper. It’s just like a paper! I stopped using it the
day it was blown by the wind into my face!? It is even better to remove it and just mess up
your clothes without it! It is frustrating.” (Focus group 4, organisation D)
4.6.4 Lack of co-operation from some patients and family members
The majority of volunteer caregivers felt disappointed and unappreciated when some patients
did not want some gloves or masks to be used on them. Some family members also did not
allow volunteer caregivers to use gloves or wear masks when attending to their patient who
were relatives because they felt that the patients would feel unloved:
“...if you are trying to use gloves and masks some of the families stop you and say why do you
want to use those things? They tell you not to use them because they feel as if you are
disgusted by the patient, and also the patient gives you a bad look whereas you are just trying
to protect both you and the patient.” (Focus group 6, organisation F)
“… Some people do that like it when you use gloves they think you do not love them. Some
don’t like the mask you don’t just use it anyhow, you use when it is really necessary.
Someone, a sick person has asked me before, and said why are you using this mask is it
because you think I smell or anything?” (Focus group 8, organisation H)
Volunteer caregivers dealt with this challenge by exercising patience with families or patients
who did not want gloves or masks to be used on them by explaining to them the reasons why
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