Kamuli Hospital runs out of drugs, medical gloves
Some of the mothers at Kamuli Hospital. PHOTO BY TAUSI NAKATO.
What you need to know:
- At Nankandulo Health Center1V which lacks most of the essential drugs and supplies like Jik, ‘Mama’ Kits and gloves, Ms Flavia Nambi, a Midwife, said the drug stock-out has hit the hospital for the past two weeks and nothing has been done so far.
- When contacted, the NMS Spokesperson, Dan Kimosho, said drugs are available but they are released upon request.
JINJA- Kamuli Hospital has run out of an assortment of drugs, putting patients’ lives at risk.
The Hospital has reportedly run out of Panadol, Amoxil, Septrin, Erythromycin, Intravenous Ampicillin and babies’ drugs like Nevirapine syrup, junior septrine, Nifedipine and Methyldopa.
Also reportedly missing from the Hospital’s inventory are medical supplies like medical gloves, JIK and ‘Mama’ Kits which have forced medical workers to refer patients to other hospitals or ask them to buy drugs and other medical supplies from private pharmacies.
A May 14 notice titled: ‘Examination gloves stock-out’ signed by Mr Mathias Muganza, a medical laboratory technologist, has been pinned on the hospital noticeboard indicating that the hospital has run out of gloves that whoever comes for treatment must come with them.
It reads in part: “This is to inform you that the examination gloves (personal protective equipment) required for bio-safety of the medical personnel and patients have run out of stock in the hospital store and the laboratory. We therefore request you to source them from elsewhere before you can be worked on by our staff.’’
Ms Lillian Nabalyango, a Midwife at Kamuli General Hospital, attributed the stock-out of examination gloves and some drugs to many deliveries in the month.
She said: “Patients are many yet we receive gloves and within a period of one and a half months, they are over; so we have to wait until the next delivery which is quarterly. We delivered over 300 mothers within a month.’’
Ms Nabalyango added that they have urged mothers to buy whatever is lacking from pharmacies yet they are expensive for some mothers who are financially incapacitated.
Ms Susan Namukose, an expectant mother and resident of Namisambya Village in Kitayunjwa Sub-County, said she was told to buy ten pairs of gloves before they operate her yet she had not budgeted for that in her expenses as she left home.
At Nankandulo Health Center1V which lacks most of the essential drugs and supplies like Jik, ‘Mama’ Kits and gloves, Ms Flavia Nambi, a Midwife, said the drug stock-out has hit the hospital for the past two weeks and nothing has been done so far.
“Supplies like gloves, JIK, ‘Mama’ Kits, Panadol, Amoxil, Septrin, Erythromycin, Intravenous Ampicillin and drugs for babies like Nevirapine syrup, junior septrine, Nifedipine and Methyldopa are all out of stock and for the past two weeks, we haven’t received an explanation from the National Medical Stores (NMS),’’ she said, adding that Nevirapine syrup for babies and Septrin have been out of stock for the last six months.
When contacted, the NMS Spokesperson, Dan Kimosho, said drugs are available but they are released upon request.
“Have they requested? If they don’t order, we don’t supply. Kindly ask them to furnish us with their order. We have all (drugs) apart from Septrin which goes with ARVs. The Septrin that goes with ARVs is donated by Global Fund and they haven’t supplied it now,” he said.
