Over 6O Sacred Heart students, teachers injured in bus accident

The Rev Sister Sarah and one of the injured students of Sacred Heart Girls Secondary School at Lacor hospital. PHOTO BY JULIUS OCUNGI

What you need to know:

Aswa Regional Police Commander Jimmy Patrick Okema said he rushed to the accident scene and evacuated the injured to nearby health centres.

GULU- Sixty three students and teachers of Sacred Heart Girls Secondary School in Gulu District were injured yesterday after their bus overturned on the Gulu-Kampala highway.

The accident happened at about 4am in Amwaa Village in Oyam District.

Four students were admitted in critical condition to Atapara Hospital in Oyam District while the rest, including four teachers, were taken to St Mary’s Hospital Lacor in Gulu Town.

A total of 59 students and four teachers were involved in the accident.

The students, all in Senior Four, were heading to Butiaba Landing Site in Hoima District on a Geography field trip.

Silent Adong, one of the injured students, told Saturday Monitor that the bus driver lost control after he hit a ditch in the middle of a road section which is under construction.

“The bus suddenly started moving from one end of the road to the other and then overturned,” said Adong.
The officer in-charge of the emergency department at St Mary’s Hospital Lacor, Sister Mary Kitale, said: “We have two of the students in critical condition. One has a deep cut on the head while the other is complaining of chest pain.”

However, Sister Kitale said all were in stable condition. She said many had broken hands, injuries on heads, hands and legs.

Aswa Regional Police Commander Jimmy Patrick Okema said he rushed to the accident scene and evacuated the injured to nearby health centres.

Among the injured are: Shallot Ashende, Mary Atimango, Nancy Lakisa, the Rev Sister Sarah, Joyce Akwero, Ratio Adong, Joan Anena, Sandra Akanyo, Lilian Ajok, Gloria Anena, Gloria Arwot, Gloria Lamara, Irene Glesura, Mary Piloya and Nancy Anena.

Mid this month, eight people died while scores were injured in a road accident on the Gulu-Olwiyo road in Koch Goma Sub-county, Nwoya District, after their truck overturned.