Temporary structures at Entebbe hospital raise health concerns
The newly-erected structures at Entebbe Grade A Hospital. The section serves patients of Grade B Hospital that was closed. Photo by Martin Ssebuyira.
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She said the place is portioned into small facilities hence cannot accommodate 300 outpatients who visit Entebbe Grade B Hospital daily.
Wakiso- Health workers at Entebbe Grade A Hospital have decried the sorry state of its temporary structures, saying they lack basic facilities which has put their lives at risk.
Hospital authorities erected the structures after the government closed Entebbe Grade B Hospital to pave way for its renovation expected to last about two years.
“The facility has no water and bacteria control facilities. In cases where blood splashes, it is not washable and air borne diseases can easily be spread because of poor ventilation,” a nurse, who preferred anonymity because she is not authorised to speak to the press, said.
She said the place is portioned into small facilities hence cannot accommodate 300 outpatients who visit Entebbe Grade B Hospital daily.
Health workers also said the buildings have rusty iron sheets, which are not suitable for drug storage because they generate a lot of heat.
The structures also have one pit-latrine for both men and women and may not handle the population pressure from the closed hospital.
According to the Entebbe Municipal Council medical officer, Dr John Kalyesubula, authorities will organise a meeting with the hospital management to improve the temporary structures.
Dr Moses Muwanga, the hospital superintendent, said they built the structures to serve patients who could not afford to buy drugs.
“We could not close, so we managed to set up that structure, which is not the best but given our budget constraints and the need to continue operating left us with no option but to come up with something like that,” Dr Muwanga said.
He said they would call stakeholders meetings with Wakiso District, the municipal council and ministry of Health to find solutions on how they can improve the new facility to help the poor.
The mayor of Entebbe Municipality, Mr Vincent Kayanja, recently said the upgrade of Entebbe hospital would be timely because it has no VIP medical facility in case of a plane accident that the upgraded Grade B hospital would serve.
