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Staff shortage hits Yumbe hospital
Women and their children seek treatment at the Outpatient Department of Yumbe Regional Referral Hospital on Wednesday. PHOTO | ROBERT ELEMA
What you need to know:
- Dr Patrick Odong, the hospital director, told Daily Monitor on Wednesday that the hospital has less than 150 staff (23 per cent).
Yumbe Regional Referral Hospital is operating with only six doctors and one specialist, a number far below the recommended structure for operations at regional referral hospitals.
Dr Patrick Odong, the hospital director, told Daily Monitor on Wednesday that the hospital has less than 150 staff (23 per cent).
In June, the Health ministry indicated that there would be a general overhaul in the healthcare system. In the arrangement, community hospitals were expected to have more doctors deployed, pharmacists to administer medicine and other specialists.
“The hospital has six doctors, with only one specialist, a pediatric and child health specialist. The hospital is lacking consultants,” Dr Odong said.
“Last year, the government allocated Shs1.5 billion for recruitment [of staff] but the money was consumed by the salary enhancement. So we could not recruit,” he added.
In the new financial year, the hospital has been allocated Shs1.1 billion for recruiting staff. Dr Odong said they will prioritise key positions such as nurses, midwives, and specialists.
“But the hospital needs close to Shs7.5 billion to bring its staffing level to 75 percent,” he added.
Besides the understaffing, the hospital still lacks some units such as a mental clinic, Ear Nose and Throat (ENT), Ophthalmology department, and a blood bank, which are essential in the provision of quality health service.
Mr Noah Achikule, an elder in Kei Sub-county, said: “I strongly feel there should be an affirmative action or directive by the President of Uganda towards the issue of staffing in hospital so that we are able to get the best services.”
He said due to the refugee presence, the staff is strained to work for longer hours because of the high population.
Similarly, a resident of Kuru Town Council, Ms Zaitun Fikira, said the upgrading of the facility to a regional referral hospital has, however, brought health services closer.
“We had been incurring a lot of expenses on transport to Arua, but this problem has been minimised to some extent. In situations where the number of patients overwhelms the facility, you will find the few staff being overworked, running up and down helping the patients,” she said.
The chairperson of Yumbe, Mr Abdulmutalib Asiku, said: “We are hopeful that in this financial year, we will have adequate resources allocated to recruiting specialised doctors.”
As a measure, Mr Asiku said they have engaged development partners, including non-governmental organisations to make a top-up allowance for specialised doctors who will be recruited.
Background
Yumbe Hospital was established in 1969. It became a regional referral hospital in July 2021. The facility serves patients from within the district and the neighbouring communities of Koboko, Maracha, Terego, Obongi, Moyo, and Adjumani, including refugees.
The hospital also receives patients from parts of South Sudan and the DR Congo. On December 20 and February 10, the Ministry of Health wrote letters to the Ministry of Public Service indicating that the new structures for regional referral hospitals stand at 1,195 staff.
On March 9, the Ministry of Public Service wrote to all heads of regional referral hospitals, directing them to implement the new structure within the available wage provision for the Financial Year 2022/2023.
