Understaffing affecting service delivery at Kawolo hospital

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Kawolo hospital is yet to deliver services to residents according to expectation despite undergoing major rehabilitation in 2017. The hospital lacks key staff which is affecting service delivery. The rehabilitation works also included the construction of a new outpatient department, a fully equipped theatre with three suites and an emergency department among other developments.

However, some of the newly installed machines have never been to put to use due to lack of competent staff to operate them. Haruna Wamala, the administrator Kawolo hospital says although the renovation and expansion of the hospital was a huge blessing, their staffing levels didn’t change. According to Wamala, there is need for urgent recruitment of sonographers, surgeons, bio technicians and clinicians among other staff.

He reveals that they wrote to the Ministry of Health to authorize them to recruit staff beyond the ceiling for a general hospital to help reduce the workload on the current staff. According to the Health Ministry guidelines, a general hospital should have 190 staff.

Currently, Kawolo hospital has 148 staff. However, two mid-wives and 3 nursing officers have since resigned leaving their positions vacant. One of the health workers told URN on condition of anonymity that the situation has been more hectic especially after the relaxation of the lockdown.

“I have seen many of my colleagues breaking down for days due to serious fatigue, it is just service above self that they push on, the facility is lucky that most of the staff here have upgraded in their respective disciplines so they offer extra services but deserve to be promoted,” he said.

Statistics at Kawolo indicate that on average more than 500 people turn up for treatment at the hospital compared to 350 patients before the renovation works. Given its strategic location, Kawolo hospital also handles many emergency cases.  Between two and four cases of accident victims end up at the hospital each day.

Denis Muwanguzi, a resident of Lugazi appeals to the government to improve its health sector before investing in other schemes. “It is only people with good health that can have the capacity to contribute to other government schemes however developmental they may be,” he said.

Harriet Nakalema, another resident says that they often spend long times in queues whenever they turn up at the facility for treatment because of the huge number of patients.

Dr. Richard Bbosa, the Buikwe District Health Officer says they have not given up on reminding the relevant ministries of the need to recruit more health works.

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