Nakaseke facility records increased maternal cases

Authorities at Nakaseke hospital have recorded a surge in the number of maternal cases as government enforces the ongoing coronavirus lockdown.

Dr Ntumwa Matovu, a senior administrator at the hospital, said the turn up is a vote of confidence in the improved service delivery at the facility. He, however, expressed fear that this may strain their operational budget.

“We now register an average of 12 deliveries at the maternity wing up from eight for the period before the lockdown. What surprises us is that, some of the cases are manageable at some of the lower health facilities, including the Health Centre IVs and IIIs,” Dr Matovu said.

“But Nakaseke hospital being the only major health facility within the area, we cannot turn away the patients. You cannot insist on inquiring about why the patients have not sought help from the respective lower health facilities. You need to save life before you dig into the other details,” Mr Matovu told the Daily Monitor in an interview on Tuesday.

The hospital receives between 5,000 and 6,000 outpatients per day.

Mr Gonzaga Ssekabira, a resident of Kikoma Village, Katikamu Sub-county in Luweero District, who brought a relative to Nakasekehospital, said there are struggles of getting movement permits.

“My patient had a history of complicated deliveries. Although we had been advised that her case could be managed at a health centre IV facility in Luweero District on April 6.

“As a family, we had to weigh the options that included the struggle of accessing a movement permit for the second time incase we had to be referred by authorities at the Health Centre IV. We took the decision to go to Nakaseke hospital where we were sure that the condition of our patient could get the required attention without going through other time wasting processes,” Mr Ssekabira said.

Dr Matovu said the hospital has an isolation wing with a separate entry to handle Covid-19 patients.

“We have so far had two suspected cases that were referred here, but they are now out of the hospital after medical examination results proved that they were Covid-19 negative. This is the very isolationunit that we used to handle the Crimean- Congo haemorrhagic fever cases in 2018,” he added.

Two years ago, Nakaseke District authorities endorsed a proposal to have patients pay standard fees for services at the private wing of the hospital.

Cost of services
The revised fees indicate that a mother seeking normal delivery from the private wing pays Shs24,000 whereas those at the general ward pay Shs15,000.

In the Caesarean Section, patients part with Shs60,000 at the private wing, and general wards charge Shs30,000.

Other listed charges include; hernia repair (Shs60,000), laparotomy (surgical procedure involving a large incision through the abdominal wall) (Shs90,000), consultation (Shs5,000) and X-ray, Shs10,000.

Staying in a single room per night at the private wing costs Shs15,000 while a double room goes for Shs20,000.

The hospital
Nakaseke hospital is among several hospitals across the country that were renovated and equipped with modern medical equipment with support from World Bank four years ago.

The facility is located approximatel y 61 kilometres by road northwest of Mulago National Referral Hospital and approximately 31 kilometres northwest of Bombo Military Hospital.

It serves patients from the districts of Nakasongola, Luweero, Nakaseke, Wakiso and parts of Masindi and Kiboga. Other health facilities in Nakaseke include; Wakyato Health Centre III, Kabogwe Health Centre II and Semutto Health Centre IV.