Leaders Ask Gov't to Increase Funding to Nebbi Hospital

Nebbi District leaders have asked the government to increase funding to Nebbi Hospital. The call follows the overwhelming demand for healthcare services at the Hospital.

According to the leaders, the hospital receives 800 million Shillings every quarter and procurement of drugs from National Medical Stores (NMS), is inadequate causing a shortage of drugs. 

Emmanuel Urombi, the LCV Chairman for Nebbi district says that the district serves 4,000 people daily and the money meant for drugs is meagre because of the high volume of patients.

He adds that the facility is serving the population from DR Congo and the neighbouring districts of Zombo, Madi-Okollo, Buliisia and Pakwach making it difficult for the management to budget for the limited resources.

“Since the district can’t afford to buy drugs locally due to budget constraints,  patients are advised to buy drugs from  Pharmacies but administered at the facility”, Urombi said.        

Dr Emmanuel Onapa,  the Medical Superintendent, attributed that, since the hospital is overwhelmed by the increasing population, some of the essential drugs which are on demand take a few weeks to get finished.  

He adds that Nebbi Hospital has a total bed capacity of 189 with daily inpatient records of  210 while the Out-Patients Department ranges from 300-400 and this makes it hard to plan for the entire population with meagre resources.

“The district has requested for the hospital to be upgraded to the level of regional referral Hospital such that the ministry could budget for the merging populations for better service delivery at the facility”, Onapa said.  

Alidong Justine, a patient at Nebbi Hospital says, that when she visited the facility to treat malaria, she was made to buy anti-malaria drugs from a pharmacy which cost her 50,000 Shillings because there were no drugs at the facility.