Kayunga hospital struggles without ambulance for 5 years

Kayunga Regional Referral Hospital in Kayunga District is operating without an ambulance after their only one broke down five years ago.

This, according to patients and medical workers at the facility, has led to untold suffering among the population as patients who need ambulance services have to buy fuel for a private one to ferry them.

Most referrals at the hospital are made to Mulago, Kiruddu, and Kawempe national referral hospitals or Jinja regional referral for babies.

According to Dr Robert Ssentongo, the Kayunga Referral Hospital director, they have informed relevant authorities about the matter, but since this is a government facility, there are processes that have to be followed in order for the hospital to get an ambulance.

The ambulance, a Land Rover, broke down after it was filled with adulterated fuel.

This necessitated a new engine for it to come back on the road, which was not done and it has since been parked in the hospital’s parking yard.

Caregivers and relatives of patients now have to buy fuel for the ambulance donated by area Member of Parliament, Mr Amos Lugoloobi.

“In some scenarios, people don’t have money to buy fuel and have to remain at the facility though in critical condition,” one of the caregivers, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said.

Another source at the hospital, who also preferred not to be named, disclosed to Daily Monitor that most of the referrals at the facility are for anaemic children and mothers in labour, who need blood transfusion and accident victims in critical condition or those with complicated fractures.

While commissioning the expansion and renovation of the hospital in 2020, Dr Diana Atwine, the Ministry of Health permanent secretary, said the facility would be fully equipped with new facilities, including an ambulance, but this promise is yet to be realised.

Dr Atwine did not answer our repeated calls nor did return the same by press time yesterday.

But Mr Emmanuel Ainebyoona, the Ministry of Health spokesperson, said the procurement process for the new ambulance for the hospital is ongoing.

“I can’t say when the hospital will get an ambulance, but its procurement is ongoing,” Mr Ainebyoona said.

Background   

Kayunga Hospital was constructed in the 1970s and the facility recently benefited from a major facelift and expansion programme, which saw it being elevated to regional referral status. However, the hospital still lacks basic facilities that should be in a regional referral.