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Entebbe, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Renovation of the National Isolation Centre for infectious diseases in Entebbe has stalled.
The National isolation centre in Entebbe was set up in 2009 to handle all medical emergencies that require isolation. The centre has been managing Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Sars and Ebola cases.
In 2015, the World Bank supported the revamping of the centre at a tune of 26.8 billion shillings. The renovation which commenced in October 2019 was expected to be completed in June 2020.
When Uganda Radio Network visited the site, two workers who preferred anonymity said that works were halted in March due to the outbreak of COVID-19 and only 50 workers remained at the site due to lack of transport back home.
“I remained because the bus fare from Kampala to Kabale was increased from shillings 40,000 to shillings 60,000. So I decided to remain here and clean up the site,” one of the builders said.
Patrick Rubongoya, the project manager says works will resume when they have sought accommodation for all workers at the site.
He says the project that is currently at 70 percent progress will be completed by August.
Dr Moses Muwanga, the Director Entebbe Hospital says there was a need to set up more structures and re-model the centre for effective infection control.
Muwanga says that once completed, the centre will accommodate 50 to 100 beds and will relieve Entebbe hospital and other regional hospitals that are currently overwhelmed with COVID-19 cases.
Entebbe hospital which currently has 126 patients has stopped admitting more patients due to lack of space.
In March, Entebbe Regional Referral Hospital shut down all departments to focus on COVID-19 patients. The hospital used to provide among others, dental, maternal and outpatient services to one million people from Entebbe, Katabi town council and Kalangala district among others.
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