[Ugnet] Load -shedding causing deaths at Soroti Hospital

[Mitayo Potosi]

Load -shedding causing deaths at Soroti Hospital

RICHARD EGADU

SOROTI THE ongoing 24-hour electricity load shedding has paralysed work at Soroti Hospital leading to death. “Patients have to wait for long hours to be attended to. Some times they die. The situation is alarming,” said the Medical Superintendent, Dr Bernard Odu. Speaking to Daily Monitor on Friday, Odu said emergency cases are not attended to on time due to power cuts. He said doctors and nurses on night duty use candles while attending to patients. The power distributors, Umeme and Uganda Electricity Transmission Company, say they were forced to load-shed because of a drastic drop in the water levels on Lake Victoria. Death On March 28, Rev. Washington Otaala, died due to power failure that made it impossible for the doctors to assess his condition after an operation. Otaala, who was being operated on for a disease that Odu, refused to disclose died shortly after an operation. Odu said because of poor visibility, the nurses and doctors could not assess him properly as they were using lamps. “As soon as the surgeons completed the operation, the power went off. The doctors and nurses on duty had to use lamps for observing his condition,” Odu said. He said the hospital is a unique and sensitive institution that should not be subjected to power cuts by Umeme. “The operating theatre and blood bank are the most affected by the power shortages. We have been forced to use candles at the theatre,” Odu said. Odu said due to financial constraints, the hospital can't afford to buy fuel to run the two generators for 24 hours. Little funding He said the ministries of Finance and Health released Shs520 million to the hospital this year. “Since the hospital was uplifted to a standard of a referral hospital, its funding has not been increased. We are still getting the same amount yet it's not enough to fund all the expenses,” he said. Odu said the generators are switched on for few minutes if there is an emergency case to be attended to and some times they go off before a patient is treated. "The generators can't help the situation. We were taken unaware and we didn't budget for fuel to run the generators for 24 hours,” Odu said. He said emergencies from the health centres in the district of Amuria, Katakwi, Kumi and Kaberamaido are referred to Soroti Hospital. Many patients “The number of patients increases each day. The hospital size can't cope with the demand. The beds are occupied 110 per cent. Some patients and attendants are sleeping in the corridors,” he said He said the Maternity Ward is the most congested, saying expectant mothers sleep on the floor. “The ward has 36 beds only, but there are over 80 expectant mothers,” he said. “The problem is not management. We have kept reminding the Health Ministry to increasing funding to the hospital, but they have paid a deaf ear.” Odu said they need 274 beds He appealed to the government to review the hospital budget. “The budget should be double. What we get now is just for a district hospital. We use the Shs520m to buy drugs, fuel, stationery, pay support staff and many others on this small budget,” Odu said.

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