Entebbe hospital gets Shs250 ICU equipment

Left to right: Dr Moses Muwanga  and Dr Eugene Ruzagira receive equipment from Dr Jonas Lexow, the  chief operating officer of MRC, at Entebbe Regional Referral Hospital on Friday . PHOTO/EVE MUGANGA

What you need to know:

  • About MRC. The Medical Research Council/Uganda Virus Research Institute and London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Uganda Research Unit is an internationally recognised centre of excellence.

The Medical Research Council (MRC) has donated an assortment of medical equipment worth Shs250m to Entebbe Regional Referral Hospital.
The equipment include 30 oxygen cylinders, 80 patient beds with mattresses and drip stands and 21 patient monitors.
The donated items were handed over to the hospital superintendent, Dr Moses Muwanga, on Friday.
Dr Muwanga said the donation has reduced the burden of oxygen shortage at the hospital.
“This donation is timely. We had a lot of challenges in the second wave when the hospital had more than160 patients and all them needed oxygen, which we didn’t have, and had some patients dying.”
“We lost some patients because some of them had very low oxygen circulating; as low as 40 percent. The ministry gave us an oxygen plant but our major challenge was the cylinders. We had around 40 cylinders and every day we would need a minimum of 80 cylinders overnight, a patient would need 5-6 cylinders per night,” Dr Muwanga said.
He said the ministry has also given them some more cylinders, with the hospital now stocked with 160 cylinders.
“When we add the 30 donated by MRC, we can say we are ready for the third wave, although the hospital still needs a wider oxygen plant as consumption of oxygen by the patients is high,” he added.
The hospital has also been supporting the lower facilities, including Kisubi hospital and private facilities around.
Dr Muwanga said the Covid-19 cases have reduced and the hospital now has only 10 cases.
Dr Jonas Lexow, the chief operating officer MRC, said, “We have worked with Entebbe hospital for many years and it was clear that in this time of need, we had to work together to come up with a plan to help improve the national situation and we are glad to find the funding .”
“We were able to secure 54,000 pounds from the MRC and UK research and innovation and from London School of Hygiene.  It was difficult to get these items not only to procure but also shipping but we succeeded and we are very sure that they will be put to good use,” Dr Lexow said.