The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The constant breakdown of the only ambulance at Kawolo hospital has forced management to reserve it for critical emergencies in Ssezibwa region.
Although Kawolo hospital receives a big number of emergencies because of its strategic location along the busy Kampala-Jinja Highway, the facility has a single ambulance registration number UG 3633M that was bought during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting-CHOGM 2007.
The hospital receives Shillings 5 million for fuel and maintenance of the ambulance monthly. On average, the ambulance runs three times to the community and to Mulago hospital each day responding to critical emergencies. Records at Kawolo hospital show that the facility receives 30 cases of emergencies each day.
Between 10 and 12 of these are a result from road accidents. Dr. Joshua Kiberu, the Medical Superintendent Kawolo Hospital explains that they are only able to handle limited injuries and refer critical cases to Mulago National Referral Hospital and other specialized facilities.
He however, says that they decided to limit the ambulance to critical emergencies and referrals due to limited fuel and its current state.
During the renovation exercise, the hospital accident and emergency department was expanded to include a modern Intensive Care Unit-ICU and CT scan to handle sensitive and critical emergencies, trauma, orthopedic surgeries and physiotherapy.
However, Dr. Kiberu notes that hospital is yet to start handling critical emergencies.
Muhammad Kakande, a resident at Nakazadde in Lugazi town claims that to access the police ambulance, they are charged between Shillings 20, 000 to 50, 000 for fuel depending on the distance.
He believes that once the new emergence department is equipped, services will get close to people.
“The hospital is now giving a good impressive picture while passing along the road but services are not that satisfying yet the entire region depends on it for services”
Hassan Wasswa Ziraba, another resident wants government to increase the budget for fuel to ease referrals especially from the lower rural health units to Kawolo hospital.
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