UPDATE: 18 dead, 21 in hospital hit by blood shortage

Gulu, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | 21 victims of the Roblyn bus accident which occurred at Adebe cell in Kamdini Town Council early today have been admitted at St. John the XXIII Hospital Aber.

Initially, 26 survivors including a four-year-old whose mother perished in the accident had been admitted to the Hospital, but five of these have since passed on bringing the total number of deaths to 18.

The hospital’s Human Resources Officer Eugene Oscar Odur attributed the deaths to a lack of blood saying the hospital was out of blood when the victims were brought in. He added that the emergency unit was overwhelmed, prompting them to transfer the patients to the surgical and medical wards.

The facility now has nine patients in the emergency unit, seven in the surgical ward and four in the medical ward. Odur, however, hastened to add that two of the victims are in critical condition and will be transferred to Mulago National Referral Hospital.

The bus registration number UAT 259P which was travelling from Kampala to Kitgum via Gulu rammed into a trailer which was loading dry cassava from a truck that had broken-down two kilometres to the corner-Kamdini police checkpoint last night. The first responders confirmed that 13 people died on the spot.

Meanwhile, Pamela Adongo, the in-charge of the surgical ward says the people in her department are now in stable condition.

Those in the hospital have been identified as Mary Akello, Rose Auma, Francis Oyo, Caroline Akanya, Nancy Alimo, Morris Oluka, Denis Acele, David Okwera, Patrick Okecha, Benson Anywar, Flavia Akello, Albert Odur, Joseph Acaye, Kevin Angwec, Christine Laker, Proscovia Aceng and Rehema Sarah Nafuna.

Joseph Acaye, 30, a victim who was travelling with his friend on the same bus and sustained a deep cut on his left leg says the driver was surprised by the truck, yet it was too late to dodge it. Acaye says his friend who survived without a scratch helped him to board the ambulance to the hospital.

Meanwhile David Okwera, a 35-year-old victim survived the crash without a scratch despite being asleep at that moment. He said his bleeding nose made him realize that there was a problem.

The bus has now been driven to Kamdini police station while the yet-to-be-identified bodies are conveyed at Anyeke HCIV mortuary.

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