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Kitgum, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Kitgum General Hospital is struggling with a challenge of accommodating the growing number of patients turning up for treatment.
Health officials at Kitgum General Hospital reveal that some patients who are admitted sometimes end up sleeping on the floor due to limited beds.
The most affected are the Maternity and pediatric wards for expectant mothers and children respectively.
Celestine Omoding, the in Charge of the Pediatric Ward told URN in an interview on Tuesday that the ward has only 30 beds yet they sometimes admit patients twice the numbers of bed available.
For instance, Omoding said on Tuesday they had a total of 125 children who underwent medical examination at the pediatric department and more than 30 were booked for admission.
He says the situation is dire and needs urgent intervention to decongest the facility.
Omoding notes that sometimes a single bed is shared by more than two children in cases of emergencies.
He also noted that they are faced with a limited number of personnel, saying they only have ten staff working in the pediatric ward.
Grace Atim, the in charge of Maternity Unit also disclosed that the limited of beds at the facility has greatly affected admission of expectant mothers.
She says daily, the unit conducts between six to seven deliveries, adding that monthly deliveries can hit more than 120. According to Atim, between October to date, a total of 234 expectant women have delivered at the facility.
Dr. Geoffrey Okello, the Medical Superintendent Kitgum General Hospital acknowledges the fact that the facility is faced with challenges of space and dilapidated structures.
He notes that the hospital’s theater, one of the key departments is old and currently operates with three operating table for general surgery, orthopedic and gynecology.
Dr. Okello also notes that the ART clinic, which handles HIV/Aids patients is small compared to the number of patients.
Statistics from the facility indicates, the ART clinic alone handles 13,000 patients drawn from the Lamwo, Pader, Agag and Kitgum districts.
Bezy Omoya, the Senior Administrator Kitgum General Hospital while making a presentation to district leaders on Tuesday at the Hospital, said development of the facility relies on collective participation of the leaders.
He attributed the development of Iganga General Hospital in Iganga District were they made a tour in March this year to support from their district leaders.
Authorities at the facility have also pointed out the need to have a modern mortuary, saying the current mortuary is old with dilapidated structures. Constructed in 1938, Kitgum General Hospital serves patients from Kitgum, Lamwo, Pader and Agago district.
Statistics from the Hospital indicates a total of 5,555 Outpatient attendance and 1,576 in-patient admissions were registered just in August this year alone.
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