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Mbale, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Ministry of Health is considering constructing a second regional referral hospital in Eastern region to ease the pressure on Mbale Regional Referral Hospital.
The Health State Minister in Charge of Primary Health Care, Hanifa Kawooya disclosed this while inaugurating the new board of Mbale Regional Referral Hospital.
Mbale hospital which has a bed capacity of 400 patients, currently admits close to 600 patients. The hospital is meant to serve 16 districts from Bukedi North and South, Elgon and Sebei sub-regions. However, the hospital officials say they serve people from 20 districts, which has taken a huge toll on their resources.
Speaking at the inauguration of the new board on Monday, the hospital director, Dr. Emmanuel Tugaineyo said the overwhelming number of patients seeking services from the hospital have overstretched their resources thereby compromising service delivery.
He attributes the huge number of patients showing up at the facility to the failure by the community to adhere to the formal referral system and instead come directly to the referral hospital as opposed to utilizing lower health facilities.
“This usually leads to unnecessary large numbers of patients at the regional referral hospital, which overstretches our resources in terms of medical supplies and work overload for the human resource,” he said.
In his inaugural speech as the new Mbale Regional Referral Hospital Board Chairperson, Dr. Stephen Watiti said his board will closely monitor what happens in the hospital and sensitize people to use lower health facilities to ease pressure on the referral.
The other board members are Dr. Emmanuel Tugaineyo, the hospital director who is the board secretary, Eng. Vincent Ochwo, Dr. Siraji Masai, Dr. John Mudusu SK, Catherine Wasemba, Sam Okiror and Joseph Okware from MOH.
Others are Mbale city town clerk, David Kyasanku, Prof. Julius Wandabwa, the hospital Principle Nursing Officer Sr. Mangadalane Kokor, Alex Sande and the Hospital Principle Administrator, Salim Kivejinja Wuwabe as ex-officios.
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Katakwi is the place as it would be easily accessed by those from Karamoja Region too plus the Greater Teso Area.