Patients, bodies share wards at health unit in Ntoroko

Bodies of patients are left in wards at Karugutu Health Centre IV in Ntoroko District due to lack of a mortuary at the facility, a health officer has said.

“Our admitted patients share the same ward with those who die. When a patient dies, [the corpse] is left in the ward until the relatives pick the body. If they delay, the body is left in the ward,” Dr Fredrick Kahuma, the health officer  in-charge of the facility, said last week.

He said of the health centre serves a population of 300,000, including Congolese refugees.

According to Dr Kahuma and the district chairman, Mr William Kasoro, attempts to secure a mortuary unit for the facility or its upgrade to a district hospital have been futile. 

“Many people are referred here, but unfortunately, we don’t have services such as X-ray [machines], among others. Our patients are referred to Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital,” Mr Kasoro said.

Efforts to reach the Health ministry spokesperson, Mr Emmanuel Ainebyoona, were futile as he did not pick our repeated calls.

However, the district health officer, Dr Rude Wilson, yesterday said they lack funds to construct the mortuary.

“We have prioritised the construction of wards to reduce congestion using capital development fund, but in the next financial year, we shall prioritise the construction of a mortuary,” he said.

He said a standard mortuary costs between Shs50m and Shs80 million.

Mr Wilson said even when they get donor support, it is hard to divert the resources because the aid comes with conditions. 

The health centre has seen an upsurge in number of patients requiring maternity services. 

For instance, between August 2021 and January 2022, up to 766 mothers delivered from the health facility, and of that 140 mothers delivered by caesarean section, which is above the 137 target. 

Dr Richard Mugahi, the assistant commissioner for reproductive and infant health in the Ministry of Health, called for sensitisation of women to encourage them to keep delivering from health facilities.

“Mothers who deliver from homes can transmit HIV to their babies or they can die while giving birth, my appeal to our mothers is to continue attending antenatal care and deliver from health facilities,” he said.

Dr Kauma said Karugutu Health Centre IV does not have a proper equipment to support surgical procedures.

“The doors [of the theatre] were broken and walls were damaged which posed a security threat to equipment in the theatre as well as an unsterile operating environment for the pregnant mothers,” he said.

HEALTH CENTRE EQUIPPED

Last week, the Ministry of Health in partnership with MTN Foundation, United Nations Population Fund and Reproductive Health Uganda, handed over a refurbished theatre and maternity ward at Karugutu Health Centre IV. 

Mr Ibrahim Senyonga, the MTN general manager of enterprise business unit, said the initiative reaffirmed their commitment to improve the lives of Ugandans. 

The health centre has been equipped with a suction unit for operations, delivery beds and kits and baby warmers used in neonatal intensive care units.