The newly refurbished Entebbe General Referral Hospital is facing lots of problems and challenges ever since it was commissioned by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni a couple of months ago. In a meeting that was held on Friday between the Hospital management and several NRM leaders the head maternity wing Wesonga Irene raised dust after she revealed that the hospital has inadequate staff to serve the ever increasing number of patients visiting the hospital daily. She said that the hospital has few midwives to cater for the rising number of pregnant mothers who visit the hospital to give birth.
We are extremely overworked because we are few and yet the number of pregnant mothers visiting the hospital to give birth keeps increasing. Because we are few one midwife is allocated 50 mothers during the day shift and the other is allocated 50 mothers during the night shift. The minimum number of midwives needed in the hospital is 6, two midwives to work on each shift (day, evening and night), Wesonga revealed.
The Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr. Moses Muwaga called on government through the ministry of Health to increase on the staffing levels because the hospital is overstretched due to the rising number of patients who come from various parts of Wakiso District and Uganda.
We have a shortage of staff. Out of the 190 staff that the hospital requires, we only have 148 staff. This implies that we have to stretch them to work longer hours. We are therefore forced to recruit interns who work on a temporary basis, Dr. Muwaga stated.
Other issues that the hospital is grappling with include late deliveries of drugs and medical supplies. Out of 100 percent drugs and supplies ordered for from National Medical stores (NMS) only 53 percent is received while the other 47 percent isn’t delivered.
Meanwhile Dr. Muwanga urged Entebbe Municipal Council to construct it’s own mortuary to handle and store unclaimed bodies. He said that the hospital’s mortuary has a capacity to handle and store only 13 bodies.
The hospital is also grappling with skyrocketing electricity and water bills, increasing number of thefts were 10 mattresses, 8 water taps and hospital motorcycle where stolen recently, poor remuneration of staff and unscrupulous people
