The interdiction was communicated by Atwine while meeting the top Hospital leadership and local leaders at Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital on Friday.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Diana Atwine has interdicted Dr Alex Adaku, the Director of Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital.
The interdiction was communicated by Atwine while meeting the top Hospital leadership and local leaders at Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital on Friday.
The Permanent Secretary was visiting the hospital to investigate the complaints by the public about the challenges at the facility including allegations of mismanagement.
This follows the death of celebrated Tooro musician Moses Kigambo Araali who passed away on Saturday at the facility. The doctors were accused of failing to attend to Tooro Kigambo, who had been rushed to the hospital with abdominal obstruction.
"Some of you are going to pay for this. We are using Kigambo's case as an entry point. My brother I have brought the interdiction letter today. You are going away, we are leaving someone in charge here. From here you will pack your things and return to Arua until we clean up this hospital," Atwine said.
She also said that the Ministry will transfer all the staff who have worked at the Hospital for more than five years.
On Monday, the Minister of State in charge of Primary Health Care (PHC), Margaret Muhanga, called for the immediate transfer of Adaku, and the administrator, Beatrice Batamuliza. Muhanga explained that she has, over time, presented the public's concerns to the Ministry of Health and recommended the transfer of the administrators, but this has been in vain.
The Minister, who is also the Member of Parliament for Fort Portal Tourism City Northern Division, stated that many doctors at the facility are running private clinics, leaving patients at the hospital unattended.
Issues of extortion, absence of health workers, and a lack of drugs have plagued the regional referral hospital for years. However, Batamuliza, dismissed some of the information as untrue, noting that the facility is well-manned at all times.
