Dear Christine. Well trace the project of the ward when it started from MoH headquarters and the leadership was involved thus why from a simple building the community through the leadership in Arua said they wanted a storage to solve the issue of limited space and it took time for the ministry to approve the building plan in form of a storage and later on it was accepted by the ministry as the MoH headwaters started building the ward there a change in management of the Capital development fund to the hospital authority thus why the building was completed by the hospital management. Your idea of saying the hospital should be closed does not hold any water unless you are so rich that you will bring your patients to (International Hospital Kampala) IHK and the issue of congestion is not only in Arua hospital you need to sample all the referrals and see if the issue is only affecting Arua and mind you Arua Hospital is a referral hospital not that even flu you go to Arua hospital for treatment. in my opinion let us join hands and make the hospital stay to serve the community which cannot afford medical services somewhere Thank you Driliga Richard
On 12/22/11, Christine Munduru <[email protected]> wrote: > Dear Driliga, yes we should not take the issue of the media seriously but > it is always this monitor that has brought crucial issues to light and in > some cases such publicity has helped, so not all that is there is rubbish. > The issue of the lagoon has been a problem simply because the community > around took the issue to court based on thei understanding of what a lagoon > in their environment would do to them. From the explanations on ground, > this lagoon is to be environmentally friendly but the community was not > aware of the way this lagoon was to be built and the second issue was that > the engineers left the place unfenced, rain water accumulated and children > went to swim in it and they drowned. It is true that there is congestion in > the hospital that is why this new structure was built and imagine a > hospital serving the whole of westnile plus sudan and congo, that is not > what it was meant for. > The truth is this issue of the lagoon need to be solved so that the new > structure can be used to allow decongestion and also toilet facilities can > be available. As of now the hospital is to be closed because of poor toilet > facilties and imagine what will happen if it is closed. The situation is in > difficult balance. If the community was sensitized about the implications > of all these I am sure they would put pressure on the individuals who have > taken the issue to court to withdraw this case but the engineers will have > to pay for their lack of professionalism. > > My opinion as | understand it, I may be wrong and will need correction > > Christine > > On Wed, Dec 21, 2011 at 9:12 AM, Diliga Richard <[email protected]> wrote: > >> Well we should not take the story of monitor newspaper wholesomely >> because these are businessmen/women who want to sale their products >> and the issue of the idle ward is a fact becoz the hospital >> constructed the best ward among all the referral hospitals in Uganda >> but the ward cannot be used without toilet facilities which are >> hampered by the standoff of building a Lagoon for the Hospital but >> the issue of land is still a problem to be solved by the >> Administration of the hospital remember NWSC in Arua does not have a >> Lagoon for disposal of waste. >> Recently i had a patient in the hospital yes there is congestion but >> there is no patient who sleeps under the beds as reported but what i >> saw was that attendants sleep next to the patients on the floor. >> Let us join hands and see that the issue of land is solved so that the >> ward is put into use and we are aware that this is the only facility >> in westnile region which the people can access specialized services >> Thank you >> Driliga Richard >> >> On 12/21/11, Achile Fendru <[email protected]> wrote: >> > Just within this month we have heard such disparaging and heart retching >> > news after news about the pathetic and sorry situation in our region, >> e.g. >> > Monitor, Friday December 9, 2011 “A district (Arua) crippled by no >> > electricity”. Then, New Vision December, 14, 2011, “97% of pupils in P.7 >> in >> > Nebbi and Zombo (read entire West Nile region) cannot speak a sentence >> > in >> > English”. And yet another Monitor article of December 17, 2011 carries >> the >> > head line; “Hospital Lacks Space as New Ward Stays Idle”. What can one >> say >> > when somebody reads about a doctor stitching a mother who has just given >> > birth in darkness, a patient sharing a bed with another regardless of >> > the >> > various diseases that has brought them to the hospital, and that kids >> > who >> > are expected to brighten their future through education can’t read even >> > though they are about to sit for national exams where they are expected >> to >> > read questions and provide answers. >> > >> > In the parts of the world were people care about human dignity and >> decency, >> > just one of these issues would have been enough to awaken a community to >> > move to action. In West Nile what do we see and here? Nothing! Not one >> > voice of outrage. You may ask outage against who? My answer? Plenty. >> There >> > is enough to share around. First, those leaders who purport to be >> > running >> > the region, all those with the title district in them: District >> > education >> > officer, district health officer, district administrative officer and >> > who >> > ever is in charge of anything to do with the various districts should be >> > called on to account. Then there are those who show up only during >> election >> > times when they need votes. They were elected to be the eyes, ears and >> > mouth of the people. Where are they now? Except of course for their own >> > mouths! How about those so called educated group who used the district >> > money in one way or another to get education and put themselves >> somewhere, >> > but have never cared to give back. If you were educated by those garland >> > sons and daughters of the region who gave up so much and got nothing >> > back >> > in return, you belong to this group. >> > >> > But seriously, what is wrong with us??? We can not sit down and form >> > regional action groups that can identify and come up with workable >> > recommendations that we can use to solve these problems? Are we so >> lacking >> > in leadership quality that not one brother or sister can step up to unit >> > the whole region to tackle these enormous elephant that is slowly >> > pushing >> > our people and land into stone age? Where did we get all these attitudes >> of >> > resignation, do not care and defeatism from? Or am I just too naïve to >> > recognize that the situation is not as dire as it sounds? >> > >> > I can equivocally without fear and any reservation, state here that our >> > region lacks effective leadership. I am talking about the caliber of >> > leaders that have bias for action and passion for results. I am talking >> > about the kind of leaders who derive their pride from the success of >> their >> > constituents and not personal gain. The kind who measure success in >> > terms >> > of quality of education, health services, standard of living of all >> > their >> > people rather than personal bank accounts. Till we start seeing those >> kind >> > of leaders, I am sorry to say our region will continue chasing the rest >> of >> > Uganda from behind, not leading it. >> > >> > >> > On Tue, Dec 20, 2011 at 4:31 AM, Raphael Wokorach >> > <[email protected]>wrote: >> > >> >> Dear friends on the WNnet, I am a rare contributor but trust, I'm a >> >> regular reader. Today i want to share with you my sense of degeneration >> of >> >> conditions of infrastructure in WN - following what we read about Arua >> >> hospital. This is one among many lamentable situations. >> >> It saddens to follow some of the stories we find about WN, the Best >> >> Nile >> >> as it is/was called sometimes. In front of these alarming situations, >> >> of >> >> failing infrastructures... which are very lamentable, there should be >> >> questions that we need to raise in order to uplift our spirit for a >> better >> >> future. It looks to me our generation has degenerated so much that we >> >> do >> >> not have much to offer for the future generation. Look at the school >> >> situations, roads, electricity, water.... the list goes on. Anything >> that >> >> is hope-filled? The environment too is rapidly degrading... this should >> >> raise gut questions. Or, what can I say of this persisting >> >> degradation....? >> >> My sense of it is that we have low expectation. Road, schools, >> hospitals, >> >> farms, etc. have collapsed at the watch of everyone. Repair not done or >> >> badly done - nothing seem to matter! We are indifferent to many things. >> >> When expectations are low, it is easy to spiritualize or give way to >> >> patchy >> >> solutions. This makes it easy also for the authority to manipulate and >> >> cheat us.... >> >> Second, it seems we do not have a shared language to discuss our >> >> ideals, >> >> much less the tools to arrive at. This is reflected by the ease with >> which >> >> we are distracted by the petty and trivial, or better the chronic >> >> avoidance >> >> of tough decision and inability to build consensus to tackle big >> problems >> >> as a people. Today, governments work under pressure. If you can't build >> to >> >> create pressure, change becomes slow - even the urgent ones. This is >> >> lacking on our side. We need to express clearly what we want, what our >> >> ideals are and work towards them! >> >> I may sound idealistic but i can't see any break through... >> >> >> >> >> >> Fr. Raphael Wokorach >> >> Mccj Scholasticate >> >> P.O. BOX 24155 >> >> KAREN-nAIROBI 00502 >> >> KENYA >> >> >> >> >> >> TEL: +254 711 859 551 or >> >> >> >> +254 734 262 853 >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> ------------------------------ >> >> Date: Tue, 20 Dec 2011 00:08:43 -0500 >> >> From: [email protected] >> >> To: [email protected] >> >> >> >> Subject: [WestNileNet] arua hospital is in coma >> >> >> >> >> >> *Sahring this article from Daily Monitor* >> >> >> >> * >> >> * >> >> >> >> * >> >> * >> >> >> >> *Hospital Lacks Space As New Ward Stays Idle* >> >> >> >> Felix Warom Okello and Tabu Butagira >> >> >> >> 17 December 2011 >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> Patients in Arua Hospital's male ward are reportedly huddling in >> >> between >> >> and under beds, choking for fresh air. >> >> >> >> To find a bed, patients are forced into a tough bargain with medical >> >> personnel. But, even then, they have to share the bed, with one patient >> >> lying legs facing the other's head. >> >> >> >> These are patients suffering from different illnesses, some >> communicable. >> >> The hospital officials say they would prefer to keep the patients on >> >> separate beds but they have no option because the plight of patients in >> >> the >> >> male ward is no different from that of the crowded pediatric ward, part >> of >> >> which has been carved to accommodate the female ward. >> >> >> >> Patients receiving medication through Intravenous Fluids (IV) sit still >> on >> >> the floor, holding their medication because they have no where to strap >> >> it. >> >> "The situation is pathetic," Dr Bernard Odu, the hospital director, >> said. >> >> >> >> Arua Hospital was established by the colonialists in 1939 before being >> >> expanded to a 372-bed capacity facility by the post-independence >> >> governments, elevating it to the level of a regional referral hospital. >> >> >> >> The original ward facility was condemned by engineers several years ago >> as >> >> inhabitable, but the new storied structure that was later built as a >> >> replacement has created controversy instead of relief. >> >> >> >> Plans to construct a shallow pool for sewage treatment did not kick off >> >> and to date, the hospital manages its effluents on-site using soak >> >> pits, >> >> which often fill up, forcing waste down River Osu, which is the main >> water >> >> source for Bibia slum. >> >> >> >> This notwithstanding, three residents of Anyafiyo suburb, who were >> unhappy >> >> the foul smell from the lagoon would suffocate them and also cause loss >> to >> >> their business, went to court and secured an injunction to stop its >> >> construction. >> >> >> >> This has in turn stalled the opening of the new Shs3 billion ward, >> fitted >> >> with state-of-the-art equipment. >> >> >> >> It has also emerged that the National Environment Management Authority >> >> cleared the lagoon project a week ago but resumption of its >> >> construction >> >> cannot be effected because hearing of the case, already adjourned >> several >> >> times, has been pushed to February next year. >> >> >> >> This means the storied structure which was completed in June last year >> >> will spend a few more months unutilised, wasting away, while >> >> in-patients >> >> continue to suffer. >> >> >> >> This condition has left able patients seeking treatment at the few >> private >> >> health facilities in the town, but the poor find themselves in double >> >> jeopardy in the crowded wards. >> >> >> >> "I cannot have my child share a bed with another person because he may >> >> contract a disease," Ms Grace Angutoko said. >> >> >> >> *Multiplied infections* >> >> >> >> A senior doctor, who asked not to be named because he is not authorised >> to >> >> speak on behalf of the hospital, said tuberculosis cases have increased >> >> due >> >> to cross-infection in the packed wards. >> >> >> >> "There are so many patients and you don't know whom to help first. Even >> >> passing through them is a problem," the doctor said. >> >> >> >> The Ministry of Health through Parliament, allocates finances based on >> bed >> >> capacity of the health facilities and its catchment population. The >> >> country >> >> does not budget for non-citizens, who, according to hospital officials, >> >> constitute about 20 per cent of patients from DR Congo and South Sudan. >> >> >> >> Mr Odu asked MPs to contrive other benchmarks for resource allocation >> >> to >> >> health units otherwise Arua will remain disadvantaged and overwhelmed. >> >> This >> >> compromises quality of health care delivery and safety of health >> workers, >> >> experts say. >> >> >> >> This newspaper has been told that the Japanese government that offered >> to >> >> erect new Out-Patients', Casualty and Maternity wards complete with >> lagoon >> >> system has asked hospital administrators to quickly resolve the current >> >> impasse or they relocate the proposed project to another needy region >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ WestNileNet mailing >> >> list >> >> [email protected] >> >> http://orion.kym.net/mailman/listinfo/westnilenetWestNileNet is >> generously >> >> hosted by INFOCOM >> >> http://www.infocom.co.ug/ All Archives can be found at >> >> http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ The above comments and >> >> data are owned by whoever posted them (including attachments if any). >> The >> >> List's Host is not responsible for them in any way. >> >> _______________________________________________ >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> >> WestNileNet mailing list >> >> [email protected] >> >> http://orion.kym.net/mailman/listinfo/westnilenet >> >> >> >> WestNileNet is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/ >> >> >> >> All Archives can be found at >> >> http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ >> >> >> >> The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including >> >> attachments if any). The List's Host is not responsible for them in any >> >> way. >> >> _______________________________________________ >> >> >> >> >> > >> _______________________________________________ >> WestNileNet mailing list >> [email protected] >> http://orion.kym.net/mailman/listinfo/westnilenet >> >> WestNileNet is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/ >> >> All Archives can be found at >> http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ >> >> The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including >> attachments if any). The List's Host is not responsible for them in any >> way. >> _______________________________________________ >> > _______________________________________________ WestNileNet mailing list [email protected] http://orion.kym.net/mailman/listinfo/westnilenet WestNileNet is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/ All Archives can be found at http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including attachments if any). The List's Host is not responsible for them in any way. _______________________________________________
