Health workers seek cure for ailing Masindi hospital
Patients in a congested ward at Masindi hospital in November last year. PHOTO/file
What you need to know:
The hospital staff and management are calling upon government to intervene
The staff at Masindi Main Hospital, particularly those in the maternity ward, have voiced their apprehension regarding the substandard conditions of the facility, stating that it poses a significant risk to the lives of expectant mothers.
According to the health workers, the maternity ward has been grappling with overcrowding, insufficient resources, understaffing, unstable power supply, and inadequate water connectivity for years.
Ms Penlope Kabasomi, the head of the maternity ward, expressed concerns about the limited space available to accommodate expectant mothers and those who have delivered, saying this has led to the persistent fear of potential maternal mortality cases.
“Ideally, the ward should have four delivery beds and four waiting beds. However, currently, there is only one delivery bed available. In instances where multiple mothers are delivering simultaneously, some are asked to deliver from the waiting beds. After delivery, they are monitored briefly before being discharged,” Ms Kabasomi said.
She added that they struggle to find a comfortable space for rest and recovery.
“Mothers who come here experience stress and discomfort. Privacy is compromised, and disrupted sleep patterns can impede the healing process and exacerbate postpartum fatigue and anxiety,” she added.
Regarding staffing, the ward is intended to have four personnel but Ms Kabasomi said she often finds herself alone, occasionally assisted by intern students and when she is absent, staff from other wards are co-opted to manage the workload.
She said despite these challenges, the ward manages to deliver approximately 10 mothers per day without any reported maternal fatalities.
Apart from inadequate resources, the maternity ward also grapples with a lack of essential utilities such as water. Expectant mothers are required to fetch water from the borehole themselves or have their attendants do so, bringing it into the ward for use during delivery.
“We lack backup for essential utilities like water and power supply, which pose significant risks, especially during critical moments of childbirth. Having mothers fetch water adds undue stress to post-delivery recovery and increases the chances of complications due to the physical strain placed on them,” she said.
Dr Moses Mbabazi, the medical superintendent at Masindi hospital, said the hospital’s outdated electrical wiring system, dating back to its construction in 1920, is a primary issue why power supply to the facility is a challenge.
“The entire health facility relies on one generator, connected only to the theatre. While some wards have solar lighting, continuous power blackouts disrupt critical care services and monitoring, especially in intensive care units or during surgical procedures,” he said.
He added: “The hospital’s outdated wiring system intensifies the challenges faced by the maternity ward, malfunctioning sockets and unreliable electrical infrastructure urgently require modernisation to ensure efficient healthcare delivery.”
Challenges persist at the facility due to delays by the central government in fulfilling its promise to expand the facility and address critical healthcare dilemmas. An assessment of the hospital was conducted by Members of Parliament on the Committee of Health, and the Ministry of Health in January 2022. The assessment recommended refurbishment and construction of new structures at the facility.
