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Matany hospital to close over lack of funds
A nurse treats a child at Matany Hospital recently.
PHOTO BY STEVEN ARIONG
What you need to know:
Hospital authorities say the facility is in a financial crisis after most donors stopped funding it.
Napak. The management of Matany Hospital in Napak District is considering closing the facility, citing inadequate funding.
Brother Nahrich Gunther, the administrator, says the hospital is currently running at God’s mercy.
He said some departments are not operating and those that are still running might be closed soon if no intervention is made.
Brother Gunther was speaking on Thursday last week at a health assembly organised by Moroto Diocese at the hospital. He said the hospital had been running with the help of donors who have since pulled out due to financial crisis.
“We have been getting support from government over the last 10 years to the tune of Shs580m for PHC [primary health care] but now with the withdrawal of some of the donations, this money is not enough,” he said.
The hospital medical superintendent, Dr John Bosco Nsubuga, said the hospital receives a big number of patients from various districts such as Iganga, Soroti, Lira, Mbale and from the Sebei region.
He said the hospital registers 190 outpatients every month.
Mr John Baptist Lokii, the MP for Matheniko County, and Ms Stella Namoe, the Napak District Woman MP, promised to table the challenges before the Parliamentary Committee on Health, ministry of Health and the Office of the First Lady for possible assistance.
Lost glory
Matany Hospital is Catholic-founded and was built in the 1970s. It used to get support from foreign NGOs, including the Italian CUAMM. However, in 1996 it experienced a financial crisis and started lobbying for financial assistance from government. In 1997, the hospital received PHC grants from government of Uganda. In 2010, the hospital opened a midwifery training centre. Brother Gunther said the hospital needs Shs3 billion every year to operate smoothly. According to the hospital medical superintendent, Dr John Bosco Nsubuga, the hospital receives Shs580 million for primary healthcare wage grants, which is insufficient, compare to the population that the hospital handles.
