The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Gulu, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Parliament Committee on Government Assurances and Implementation is investigating the Circumstances under which officials at Gulu Regional Referral Hospital in Gulu city allegedly disaggregated its Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
The probe comes after a visit by members of the Committee chaired by Abed Bwanika on Friday to follow up on government assurances and promises in the health sector and new cities and districts.
In 2019, Parliament approved a loan request, under the Intergovernmental Fiscal Transfers (UgIFT) Program authorizing the Government to borrow up to approximately 200 billion shillings from the International Development Association (IDA) of the World Bank Group.
The loan was meant to support the upgrading of Health Centre II to Health Centre Ill in Sub counties that did not have a Government Health Centre III.
However, in 2021, Parliament approved an additional loan request, authorizing the government to borrow the equivalent of 352.2 billion shillings from the IDA to facilitate the completion of the upgrade of Health Centre IIs and Health Centre IIIs.
The additional request was also meant to aid the construction and equipment of new Health Centre III’s; and the equipping and recruitment of staff for all upgraded Health Centre II’s among others.
The committee which visited the Hospital however established that whereas the hospital received 10 ICU beds, only four were functioning as an ICU. The committee found out that other ICU equipment like monitors, ventilators, and ICU beds were moved for other purposes around the hospital which has overtime crippled the ICU Unit.
During the visits, two ICU beds were also found to have broken down and are not being used anymore.
Joyce Bagala, the Deputy Chairperson of the Committee wondered where all the components of the ICU beds were, as what was shown to the committee were simply incomplete ICU units.
“You told us the beds in the ICU were supplied by JICA and we told you that Government also brought beds here, and we asked you how many beds you have, but they do not have the accessories, these are not full units of ICU,” she said.
Bwanika, tasked the hospital to explain where some of the ICU equipment went and why they were dismantled and being used as normal beds.
Bwanika noted that the ICU equipment was bought expensively, and it is unfortunate that the ICU system of the hospital is crippled because what is meant to be ICU was disaggregated.
“We are dismayed by what we have witnessed in the hospital, those who are concerned cannot account for this equipment, they do not know where this equipment is, some were dismantled and some are being used as normal beds,” Bwanika said.
The committee in their visit received reports that some senior management of the hospital in a meeting allegedly decided to move some of the ICU components to the different wards like maternity, surgical wards and emergency among others.
An ICU bed or full unit is composed of a standard ICU flexible bed, ventilators, a pump for drugs, oxygen, and a suctioning machine, but 6 of the hospital ICUs at least do not have these components.
As a result, the hospital storekeeper, Robert Vupale was taken to the Gulu Central Police Station and recorded statements on the dismantling of the ICU and missing parts.
Robert Ssekitoleeko, the Bamunanika County MP in Luwero district proposed that the entire hospital administration should be held accountable for the disintegration of the ICU.
“When you analyze the gist of the problem, all these people must be held accountable especially those who are in the chain of this problem. As we speak the director has a part to play, the technical people who run the ICU unit have a part to play, so that this institution is made better,” he proposed.
The committee on Friday resolved that the Director of the Hospital Dr Peter Mukobi, who was away in Kampala for official duties report to the Police in Gulu and record a statement over the matter.
Dr. Mukobi however told Uganda Radio Network in an interview Saturday that when he assumed office two years ago, he took over the management of five ICU units at the hospital which are still in good working state.
“As far as I know, what I took over, the ICU is working well with the units which were delivered by ElsMed, the company that delivered and installed the five ICUs. They are working well as it is for now,” said Dr Mukobi.
Dr Mukobi said he would cooperate with the police in the investigation after getting full details of the committee’s visit.
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