Prime
Patients sleep on worn-out beds as new ones lie idle
The new beds and mattresses that lie idle at Kayunga Regional Referral Hospital. PHOTO/FRED MUZAALE
What you need to know:
- Kayunga hospital administration says they are waiting for the supplier to engrave the items.
Patients admitted to Kayunga Regional Referral Hospital in Kayunga District continue to sleep on stinking and worn out mattresses and beds after authorities at the facility failed to put the new ones to use.
A section of patients this reporter spoke to decried the poor state of the beddings at the facility.
“We see heaps of new mattresses and beds being kept in the hospital while we continue to sleep on stinking mattresses, some of these beds even have holes,” a patient, who preferred anonymity, said on Monday.
The acting senior hospital administrator, Ms Martha Ayikoru, said upon renovation, the facility received 204 new mattresses and 54 beds but they are still waiting to be engraved.
“We can’t put the mattresses and beds in the wards before they are engraved because they will easily be stolen and it would be hard to trace them,” Ms Ayikoru said.
The new beds and mattresses have been lying idle at the hospital since last year and occupying some of the would-be wards.
Pledge
Last year, while touring the facility Dr Diana Atwine, the Ministry of Health permanent secretary, said all the old medical equipment at the hospital would be replaced. However, some of the equipment is yet to be fixed.
The Shs70b renovated and expanded hospital was in January this year commissioned by President Museveni.
When contacted, Dr Olive Busingye, the Kayunga District deputy health officer, laughed off claims that the patients were complaining about the mattresses.
“So which patient is stinking because he/she sleeps on a stinking mattress?” Dr Busingye asked.
Currently, the Ministry of Health has embarked on construction of a Shs4b ear, nose and throat (ENT) facility at the hospital.
Although government promised to procure an ambulance for the hospital upon renovation, it is yet to be delivered.
The hospital currently depends on an ambulance donated by State Minister for Finance and also Ntenjeru North MP, Mr Amos Lugoloobi, as the old one has been grounded since last year.
The hospital administration revealed that the old ambulance requires a new engine but the money is not readily available.
Background
Constructed in the 1970S, Kayunga Hospital recently benefited from a major renovation and expansion programme which saw it being elevated to a regional referral hospital.
The Shs70b project enabled the facility to get additional units including; an accident and emergency unit, physiotherapy and gym unit, private out-patient department and wards, kitchen and laundry, isolation wards, maintenance and workshop, hostels for intern doctors and quarters for nurses.
Previously, residents would travel to Kawolo Hospital in Buikwe District and Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala, which is about 55 kilometers away, to seek treatment.
