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Let record show that Mbale Hospital was built on a
basis of being a referral hospital in that area.
Em
The Mulindwas
communication group
"With Yoweri Museveni, Uganda is in anarchy"
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Saturday, February 08, 2003 12:11
AM
Subject: [Ugandacom] Mbale's 'Torch
Perations' Tip of the Iceberg
t was also reported that the hospital lacked sufficient
drugs and that some doctors, nurses and medical students on internship
solicited for bribes to treat patients.
This situation may not be
unique to Mbale Hospital alone. In fact residents of Mbale may be lucky to be
near a hospital at all."
Mbale's 'Torch Perations' Tip of
the Iceberg
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The
Monitor (Kampala)
February 6, 2003
Posted to the web February
7, 2003
Kampala
The ministry of Health is to investigate why
surgeons in Mbale Hospital have to use torches at times to complete surgical
operations (Ministry Probes Mbale Hospital, The Monitor, Feb. 6, P.
4).
This follows a report in The Monitor that the hospital generator
did not have an automatic switch and was sometimes faulty due to neglect
(Mbale Doctors Operate Using Torches, The Monitor, Feb. 5, P.
1).
It was also reported that the hospital lacked sufficient drugs
and that some doctors, nurses and medical students on internship solicited for
bribes to treat patients.
This situation may not be unique to Mbale
Hospital alone. In fact residents of Mbale may be lucky to be near a hospital
at all.
As an American expert notes, 12 million people walk over 5kms
to a hospital in Uganda (12 million Walk 5kms to Hospital, The Monitor, Feb.
6, P.7).
The report said 47 percent walk to health centres that have no
drugs to offer patients.
This clearly demonstrates that the old woes
affecting health services are not about to end.
Many of the problems
are beyond the individual hospital's control. They are to do with the meager
health budget.
The ministry of Health asked for Shs 231bn for the
financial year 2002/3. The government slashed it down to Shs 204bn. If it was
also affected by the 23 percent reduction to fight rebels in the north, that
leaves about Shs 160bn.
Because funding is insufficient, many hospitals
like Mbale get monthly releases that can barely last them two
weeks.
And in addition to luck of supplies, doctors, nurses and support
staff are underpaid.
This explains why several doctors now shun
government service and open up private clinics or look for greener pastures
outside the country.
If the health services are to improve, there must
be a political will to give more and more funds to the ministry. There is also
need to treat health as a priority service just the same way government rushes
ministers abroad when they fall sick.
NRM NO
CHANGE!!!
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