The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Entebbe, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Entebbe Regional Referral Hospital is scaling down on provision of other services to focus on the management of COVID-19 cases. The hospital currently has over 20 people suspected of having the disease and is treating 10 of the 18 confirmed cases in Uganda.
The Hospital Director Moses Muwanga says that they have taken a decision to cut back operations for maternal and neonatal services, dental, pediatric and outpatients to deal with the rising number of COVID-19 cases.
At the time of the declaration, the number of cases had risen to 23 within a space of one week from the time the first case that was confirmed in the country. The 36-year-old, who had just returned into the country from Dubai is also receiving treatment at Entebbe Hospital.
Muwanga says that the 200-bed capacity hospital will have 70 health workers managing the suspected and confirmed case zones up from 20 workers. Some parts of the hospital will however be used for coordination and information sharing while the private wing will now house health workers, security officers and members of the rapid response team.
The maternal and neonatal ward has been turned into a zone for suspected COVID-19 cases. These include individuals with symptoms which may include coughing, sneezing, fever among others who are however awaiting testing for COVID-19.
The hospital has also set up welfare and security teams with police and army officers to support health workers and the surveillance team that carries out tests and monitors self-quarantined people with in the community, hotels and other places. The hospital serves communities from Entebbe, Katabi town council and the island districts of Kalangala and Buvuma among others.
Muwanga says that the public is however encouraged to seek medical attention from nearby facilities because the hospital is “becoming an unsafe zone” for people with other ailments.
By this morning, all patients who had been admitted were either discharged or transferred to National Referral Hospitals at Kiruddu and Kawempe among others. Mothers who delivered or had Caesarean section operations were all discharged last night while two premature babies were transferred from the nursery to Kawempe hospital to create room for COVID-19 suspected cases Friday morning.
Expectant mothers who did not require emergency services, were also turned away. Meanwhile, Sharon Anyeroth, a mother of two told Uganda Radio Network-URN that the move is unfortunate because many people cannot afford services offered at private facilities.
The public has also been advised to alert the surveillance team headed by Dr John Kalyesubulya through his personal line 0772691061.
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