Lack of neurologist cripples services at Kabale Hospital

Kabale, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The lack of a neurologist is crippling the services at Kabale regional referral hospital.

A neurologist is a medical doctor who diagnoses, treats, and manages disorders of the brain and nervous system. The hospital received a CT scan machine from the Ministry of Health last year.

Patients pay between sh100,000- 120,000 to access CT scan services. However, those with head and brain complications have continued to suffer because they cannot be diagnosed the due to lack of a neurologist at the hospital.

Bernard Musiime, a resident of Kavu parish in Maziba sub-county, Kabale District says that his son recently got in an accident that damaged his head.  He says that when he was rushed to Kabale regional referral hospital, he was subjected to a CT scan to analyze the damage to the skull.

Musiime however says that he was shocked after health workers advised him to rush the patient to Mbarara due to lack of a neurologist expert.

Dr. John Philbert Nyeko, the Kabale Regional Referral Hospital Director admits that lack of specialists in neurology has affected the services of a CT scan. Nyeko says that the most affected patients are those who get into accidents and require an immediate diagnosis to determine if they need surgery.

According to Nyeko, out of an average of 15-20 patients who need CT scan services, two are referred to Mbarara regional referral hospital or to private hospitals, which inconveniences the patients and attendants.

Nyeko also says that their efforts to recruit a neurologist have been crippled by many factors which include lack of funds for payment, lack of staff accommodation, and neurologists refusing to work from Kabale.

According to World Health Organization-WHO, it recommends one neurosurgeon for every 200,000 people.

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