Minister rushes to Nebbi, demands hospital completion

NEBBI. The state minister for Health (General Duties), Dr Elioda Tumwesigye, at the weekend rushed to Nebbi hospital after a Daily Monitor story reported that patients suffering from different ailments are sharing wards and being admitted to verandahs.
Some patients were also admitted to rooms formerly used as toilets while male patients were being admitted to the isolation ward with Tuberculosis patients.
Dr Tumwesigye led a team from the ministry of Health for an on-spot inspection of the situation and to check on the progress of the renovations which caused the shortage of space.

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Daily Monitor found out that the ministry team piled pressure on the contractor, China Railway NO 5, to beat the set deadline.
Dr Tumwesigye urged the contractor to work within the stipulated duration of 18 months to save the hospital from congestion.
“You are left with seven months to complete this work and you must work within that. Other projects at other hospitals which started at the same time are now nearing completion,” Mr Tumwesigye said.
He attributed the delay to the company’s low bidding of $3.8m (Shs10.8b) while the reserve price was at $5.4m (Shs15.4b), something he said had incapacitated company’s financial muscle.
The Nebbi Resident District Commissioner, Mr Martin Orochi, told the contractor to stop giving excuses and complete the work
“The contractor must work within the time frame given to them rather blocking the money meant to complete work,” Orochi said.
The rehabilitation of the hospital is part of the Public Health Delivery System, where referral hospitals, including the National Referral at Mulago in Kampala are being renovated.