Gulu Regional Referral Hospital has been left without a single functional ambulance after the only one that was helping the government health facility respond to emergency cases broke down.
Dr. James Elima, the Director of the government hospital revealed during a meeting with members of Parliamentary Health Committee at the staff boardroom on Friday last week that the hospital’s only ambulance broke down and is currently in the garage for repairs.
According to Dr Elima, the government procured the vehicle 11-years- ago when Uganda hosted the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).
The hospital Director noted that the ambulance is already too old and is risking the life of patients especially during referral of emergence cases.
Under the PPDA guidelines, government agencies should dispose-off a vehicle after its speedometer has marked 2,500 Kilometres or after five years of use.
On average the hospital receives about seven emergency cases every week, majority are road traffic accidents.
Florence Amono, a senior nursing officer told the committee that expectant mothers in labour have been hit hard by the absence of the ambulance.
Betty Aol Ocan, the Gulu Woman Member of Parliament (MP), who accompanied the committee led by MP Fred Baseke, the acticing Chairperson of the committee promised to put before parliament the state of Gulu Referral Hospital which serves Acholi, Lango, West Nile sub regions and also receives patients from the neighbouring South Sudan.
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It’s sad that the government is promoting private Hospital or private sector development and not compete with them to reduce the cost charged by private enterprise . Even the only one that is running is having challenges with equipment, personnel’s logistics to carry up the challenges and with old dilapidated infrastructures.
Ci lwagi Acoli ma gitye ka tic ci pe gitwero willo kadi motoka acel ci kimiyo ki Otyat? All these cultural events should begin raising funds and give accountability of what the events have bought for public use.