Mbale referal hospital is situated 180 kilometers outside Uganda’s capital in the east. It runs by a thread. This was evident three days back when a pregnant mother passed away with her newborn baby after she failed to provide the medical doctors in a government aided hospital money to help her during her delivery.
Four doctors and four nurses were arrested for contributing to the death of the innocent mother and taken to police cells. They have now been given a police bond as police investigate the matter further.
Cecilia Nandudu, who was a teacher in one of the municipal primary schools, had checked in at 6 am but by midday she was dead. Her husband was unable to bring the money to pay for his wife’s delivery simply because he did not have any.
Statistics show that 20 women die every day in Uganda as a result of negligence by doctors and nurses in the hospitals. In the health centers up to 40 children die every day as a result of impunity possessed by medical staff.
Though the culprits in this case were given a police bond, Members of Parliament have demanded an interdiction of the medical staff as a way to reduce the high prevalence of maternal and neonatal mortality rate which is high in the country.
The government this time has provided a toll free number 0800100447 for Ugandan citizens to report cases where a medical doctor asks for money in a government aided health center or hospital
