An acute shortage of medical workers has hit Katakwi main hospital, eastern Uganda putting the lives of hundreds of patients at risk.
Dr. Andrew Katawera, Katakwi hospital’s director, says the staffing level at the hospital is far below the national average. He told Uganda Radio Network that since Katakwi hospital was elevated to a hospital from a health center IV in July 2011 it has been struggling with very few specialised medical personnel.
He explained that since the hospital was established in 2004 it has only one doctor, a technician, a clinical assistant, a dispenser and a few enrolled nurses. This means the available medical workers are overstretched with a high number of patients and extra responsibilities, which compromise the quality of services being offered to patients.
Dr. Katawera notes that the hospital receives many patients from different sub-counties in the district. Patients will have many different ailments that need special attention, which one lone doctor cannot singlehandedly manage.
The hospital receives more than 20,000 patients seeking different treatments every month from Toroma, Ngariam, Usuk, Ongongoja sub-counties. As the only doctor at the hospital, and when coupled with administrative duties, Dr. Katawera says he is overwhelmed. Accordingly, Dr Katawera demanded that the government intervene immediately to save the lives of the many patients that visit the hospital for medical attention.
He notes that with such great numbers of patients a helping hand is needed to handle those cases. Dr. Katawera says that due to the backlog of various cases many patients have been left dissatisfied.
The situation at Katakwi hospital is made worse by the fact that it lacks special diagnostic machines.
Dr. Katawera says the hospital does not have vital machines like X-ray and ultra-sound machines among others, which makes work more difficult. He added that many patients are referred to Soroti regional referral hospital for specialised attention while others go to clinics and others prefer traditional medicines.
He said that, although the government through National Drug Authority, sent drugs worth 320 million shillings they have not reached many patients due to the lack of qualified dispensers.
Florence Ikanut, a resident of Pamba cell in Katakwi town, says she has been turned away on several occasions of visiting the hospital because the doctor is forever busy with patients who crowd the facility. Ikanut says she now prefers going to clinics for treatment although most of them are also ill equipped and very expensive.
Isaac Oyaro, a resident of Kelim village in Usuk sub-county, says due to the lack of a health center in Usuk they are forced to go the hospital. They are sometimes forced to sleep in town in order to get to the doctor’s check up early the next day.
The government recently announced that it will recruit 6,172 health workers for health centres III, IV and Vs effective this financial year. According to Sarah Opendi, the State Minister for Primary Health, 49.5 billion Ugandan shillings have been allocated for the exercise.
She says 6.5 billion shillings of this hasbeen immediately availed to kick start the process and the remaining 43 billion is to be provided in a month’s time. The key personnel to be recruited are doctors, nurses, midwives and other support staff.