Dr. Anthony Kkonde, the Municipality Health Inspector, says they embarked on the construction with Shillings 300 million donated to them by the president in 2015 for renovation but the resources ran out before the work could be completed.
Mukono Health Center IV
is hunting for more than Shillings 800million to complete the stalled
Outpatient Department-OPD block. Construction of the two storied building
started in 2018 under Link Investments limited.
Dr. Anthony Kkonde, the Municipality Health
Inspector, says they embarked on the construction with Shillings 300 million
donated to them by the president in 2015 for renovation but the resources ran
out before the work could be completed.
Kkonde, who didn’t
disclose the entire sum of money needed for the construction works, says they
have communicated to the Health Ministry about the need to complete the block
since it will host some key departments.
//Cue in: “Mpozi nekizimbe ekyo…
Cue out: …okunonyereza kumpapula”//
Dr. Geoffrey Kasirye, the
in-charge of Mukono Health Center IV, says once completed, the OPD will reduce
congestion at the facility. He notes that they petitioned Ministry of Health to
elevate the health center to a hospital in 2013 and but their request was
turned down.
He says the facility attends to between 300 and 500 out patients
on a daily basis. Last year, the Health center handled 7, 780 deliveries, which
the management says is done under difficult condition due limited
space.
Dr. Kkonde explains that at times expectant mothers sleep on the
verandah and others in corridor because of space problems.
//Cue in: “Kigijirako ebintu bingi…
Cue out: …kwekubeera omwana ”//
Dr. Kkonde says in
addition to space problems, the hospital needs more staff to handle the
overwhelming number of patients. He cites the maternity, which has only ten
staff out of the required 16.
The Mukono Municipal Mayor,
George Fred Kagimu commends the health center staff for accepting to work under
difficult conditions.
//Cue in: “Mwebale nyo
okukola…
Cue out: …mu Uganda yonna”//
Jascent Nambaziira, an expectant mother found at
the facility, says she would have remained in the ward until her delivery time,
but she is forced to return home after visiting the antenatal clinic due to
lack of space.
