No renovation for Busolwe hospital in over 30 years

Residents and local leaders in Butaleja District are up in arms over government failure to repair Busolwe General Hospital, which has been in a poor state for the past 35 years.

The hospital, which has been in a dire condition since 1986, serves a population of more than 200 patients on a daily basis from various districts, including Budaka, Bugiri, Namutumba and Tororo.

The leaders say the hospital also lacks oxygen cylinders and an X-ray machine, and that they have made several pleas to the government over the challenges but in vain.

Ms Irene Namugosa, a resident, said the hospital operates in dilapidated buildings, coupled with poor hygiene.
“The facility also lacks reliable electricity supply, and basic health equipment,” Ms Namugosa, said.
The health workers say the facility has inadequate personnel, and frequently suffers drug stockouts. It also has no access to clean water, and lacks staff accommodation facilities, among other challenges.

Mr Hasahya Mutwalibi, an elder, says despite Butaleja being a stronghold for President Museveni and his ruling National Resistance Movement party, their problems have not been addressed.

“The President, who has been in power for 34 years, has repeatedly pledged to rehabilitate the hospital but in vain,” Mr Mutwalibi, says.

Mr David Mulabi, a former MP aspirant for Bunyole East, said the government has deliberately failed to renovate the facility.

“Busolwe hospital, together with Kawolo hospital [in Buikwe District] were approved for major renovation and expansion but up to now, Busolwe hospital has not been renovated yet Kawolo hospital was renovated,” Mr Mulabi told Daily Monitor yesterday.

He asked the government to expedite the renovation and expansion of the facility to improve access to health services, especially by the poor people the hospital serves.

The government approved a grant under Uganda-Spanish Debt Swap Grant, to refurbish and equip Busolwe hospital. The project was estimated to take a duration of four years from 2015 to 2019 but this has never happened.

A senior staff at Busolwe hospital, who declined to be named for fear of being victimised, said more than 10 patients turn up daily for X-ray services but they are referred to private clinics where they are charged exorbitantly.
“The  X-ray unit has been under lock and key for the last 20 years due to lack of the film processing chemical, and a fault on the processor of one of the machines,” the source, said.

Mr Emmanuel Otala, the eastern regional Parliamentary Covid-19 taskforce chairperson, recently said it was a shock that the hospital has never been renovated since it was constructed.

The 100-bed capacity hospital also lacks an ultra-scan.
The Butaleja District Health Officer, Dr Siraji Kizito, acknowledged the deplorable state of the hospital.
He said government has on numerous occasions pledged to rehabilitate the hospital but in vain.
The hospital medical superintendent, Dr Ivan Wambi, said the facility is forced to refer patients to Mbale Regional Referral Hospital for X-ray services.

“We have another challenge of drug supply. We get little drugs compared to the number of patients we receive on a daily basis,”Dr Wambi said.

When contacted for a comment, Mr Emmanuel Ainebyoona, the Ministry of Health spokesperson, referred Daily Monitor to the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dr Diana Atwine.
However, Dr Atwine too declined to comment on the matter, referring this newspaper to local leaders in Butaleja District.

The Butaleja District Woman MP, Ms Florence Andiru Nebanda, blames the delay to rehabilitate the facility on lack of the design of the hospital.

“The consultancy firm which was contracted to carry out designs did it half-way. We need to have a complete design. The [Health] ministry cannot come up with a bill of quantity without a design,” Ms Nebanda said.