According to the task force members, the clinic has been closed to allow investigations in the theft of the oxygen cylinder to flow smoothly. Some members said that there are several complaints of sneaking patients out from the hospital to the same clinic where some of the patients end up dying.
The Mbale District Task Force has closed a private clinic which
was found with a 50litre oxygen cylinder has been closed.
On Wednesday Police arrested Alex Nyongesa, the director of
Health for Life General Medical Clinic and Laboratory and his staff Job Cherotich for allegedly
stealing oxygen cylinders from Mbale Regional Referral Hospital.
Nyongesa is a clinician in Mbale Referral Hospital.
The Clinic found in Nkoma ward, Northern Division in Mbale
City has now been closed by a resolution from the Mbale task force meeting
that was held on Friday.
According to the task force members, the clinic has been
closed to allow investigations in the theft of the oxygen cylinders to flow
smoothly. Some members said that there are several complaints of Nyongesa
sneaking out patients from the hospital to his clinic where he (mis)manages them
from and that the patients end up dying there.
Asumin Nasike, the Mbale Resident District Commissioner
ordered for the closure of the clinic saying that they have had several
allegations about the poor operations of the clinic.
Ayubu Madoi, the Mbale District Assistant Health
Officer-whose office oversees the operations of private clinics in the
district, said during the closure of the clinic that they
take covid-19 cases which are in critical condition who end up dying.
He said that the oxygen cylinder sneaked from the Mbale
hospital was brought in the clinic to manage covid-19 patients mainly those who
are sneaked out of the Mbale Hospital adding that the clinic will remain closed
until investigations are complete.
//Cue in: “Implement the closure…
Cue out:…CTU clinic”//
Locals neighboring the clinic welcomed the decision by the health team to close the facility.
One resident who only identified herself as Nagudi said that the clinic had turned into a death trap saying that at least everyday, one dead body is brought of the clinic.
She said that gasping people are brought at the facility through the clinic ambulance and that some of them die on arrival.
Kirinya Ayubu is the URN Bureau Chief of Elgon/Bukedi Sub Regions . He holds a Bachelors Degree in Mass Communication from Islamic University in Uganda and a Diploma in Computer Science and Information Technology from the same University.