The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Masaka, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Masaka Regional Referral Hospital is on the spot for alleged failure to provide descent accommodation and services to Covid-19 patients in the isolation ward.
On Sunday, a female patient in the isolation ward recorded a video that has since gone viral bemoaning the appalling living conditions in the ward.
At the onset of decentralizing the treatment of Covid-19 patients, Masaka Regional Referral gazetted the mental ward to serve as the treatment unit.
However, in the video the patient accuses the hospital administration of failure to create a proper treatment environment which is distressing to patients.
She says the ward is faced with acute inadequacies ranging from basic utilities including food, water and sanitation facilities.
The patient also accuses the hospital of failing to maintain proper hygiene in the ward as well as mixing patients regardless of their respective stages of recovery.
She argues that besides using broken lavatory facilities, the hospital hardly provides detergents that can be used to clean and disinfect the lavatories.
The video further reveals congestion in the ward which is shared by adults and children some of whom without face-masks.
She cries to the Health Ministry to intervene and save them from the unbefitting situation they are living under arguing that they have nobody to complain to because the hospital management is so detached from the ward.
However, Dr. Nathan Onyaki, the director Masaka Regional Referral Hospital has downplayed the claims by the patient saying they don’t deserve his response.
A statement by the Health Ministry spokesperson Emmanuel Ainebyona says the patient coined the video with gross exaggerations adding that she has proven troublesome ever since she was admitted in the ward. He explains the unit, which has 20 beds was filled up.
He explains that the hospital management had improvised a temporary structure to cater for female patients so as to avert the possible challenges that may occur when they mix patients of different genders.
The statement indicates that preparations are underway to transfer the patients to a well-furnished ward as soon as the renovation works are completed.
However, the Health Ministry indicates that the hospital management has pledged to improve waste management and sanitation at all times.
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Dr. Onyaki should not dismiss this issue.Put corrective actions in place. How can you give a patient medicine without providing what it is and what it is supposed to be treating.
MOH should not blame someone speaking up because there are expectations for them to meet. With all that COVID19 money how can our hospitals be in this state. For them to even say that they are making changes alone shows there were issues.
MOH should hold these hospitals to account if they provided the funds to them.
Thank you so much for using reason to defeat those responsible for providing us with excellent health services.
I can’t thank you enough and because of Ugandans like you,i was spared imprisonment.