Public decry closure of Entebbe hospital

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The closure of Entebbe hospital has angered residents in the area. The hospital was closed to inpatients on Monday due to a surge in the number of Covid-19 patients being admitted at the hospital.

Management announced that it will only provide outpatient services like chronic care and screening for Covid-19 patients among others.

Dr Moses Muwanga, the Director of Entebbe Hospital says the Ministry of Health directed management to close the in-patient wards to create space for COVID-19 patients. The hospital has a total of 200 beds.

Before the outbreak of the second wave, the hospital had allocated 50 beds for COVID-19 patients in the private wing.

Muwanga says the hospital is currently receiving an average of ten new COVID-19 patients daily. As of Monday, the hospital had admitted 58 Covid-19 patients with 30 of them in critical condition.

Rose Laboke, a resident of Kawuku, Katabi town council says she was turned away and told to go to Katabi health centre III.

Kofia Nassanga, a resident of Katabi Busambaga village in Entebbe Municipality says that since the hospital has been closed, the Ministry of Health should provide an ambulance for referred patients like pregnant women.

Some residents argue that rather than close the hospital, the government should encourage the public to observe the standard operating procedures and those who fail to adhere should be penalized.

Zalia Nabukenya, a midwife at Katabi health centre III says that they had received over 15 women on Monday who were turned away from Entebbe hospital.

In March, the hospital closed the outpatient, dental, optical, maternal and child care departments to focus on the effective management of COVID-19 patients. Before its closure, the hospital served a population of over one million people from within Entebbe municipality, Katabi town council, Buvuma and Kalangala districts.

However, it resumed full operation of all general departments including outpatients, maternity, medical and surgical last month.

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