Kawempe hospital premature babies transferred to Mulago neonatal unit

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT |  Some of the premature babies who had been admitted in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Kawempe National Referral hospital have been transferred to the Mulago Specialized Maternal and Neonatal hospital.

This was revealed in a statement issued on Thursday by the Ministry of Health. This followed photographs which circulated on social media of newly born babies sleeping on plastic chairs and some sharing a single bed. 

Although the number of babies that have been transferred has not been revealed, Dr Lawrence Kazibwe the Director of Kawempe hospital says that they have capacity of admitting about 60 babies but the number of deliveries at the hospital is high at about 100 per day.

The statement by the Ministry reveals that in addition to transferring some babies, they are also considering expanding the unit at Kawempe in addition to procuring necessities such as warmers, incubators and photo therapy machines. 

However, this is not the first time conditions at Kawempe Hospital have been put in the limelight. 

Three months ago, babies at the unit died due to power outage. Kawempe hospital which is also the home to the directorate of obstetrics, gynaecology and paediatrics delivers about 30,000 babies annually.

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