By John Bosco Tugume
The Covid-19 pandemic has exposed gaps in health service delivery at Hoima Regional Referral Hospital leaving patients with no option but to abandon the facility.
Local leaders say government should urgently address the healthcare deficiencies at the facility especially at such a time when Bunyoro is recording a surge in Covid19 cases and the ongoing healthcare needs of the public.
The facility which has a Sh8.2 billion budget funded by the central government annually is experiencing acute shortage of Oxygen to support Covid19 patients in the Treatment Unit, shortage of water for hand washing by patients, limited staffing among other issues.
Dr. Peter Mukobi, the Hospital Director explains that currently, the facility has a total of 24 Covid19 patients on Oxygen at the Covid-19 Treatment Unity-ICTU but adds that they don’t have enough oxygen to support them.
According to him, although they have over 60 Oxygen cylinders that they continue to fill so as to support the patients, their Plant can only fill two cylinders at ago due to some faults.
Dr Mukobi also observed that the facility has experienced water shortages for the last weeks leaving most of their tanks empty yet this is the time they need more water due to frequent hand washing by patients and workers.
