Amudat General Hospital, the only facility offering referral-level care in the district, is struggling to deliver health services due to severe resource constraints. The Private-Not-For-Profit hospital, run by the Church of Uganda, serves as a de facto referral center for Amudat, Nakapiripirit, and West Pokot in Kenya.
But officials say it is being overlooked, with most government support channeled to lower-level health facilities. Among the most pressing issues are water shortage, power blackouts, a broken Ultra Scan Machine, no ambulance to facilitate referrals, and inadequate staff accommodation.
Jane Twijukye, the Hospital Administrator, said the facility serves the entire district and neighboring areas yet faces mounting challenges. “As a Private-Not-For-Profit facility, we rely on limited resources, and the district authorities pay little attention,” Twijukye said.
Twijukye said staff have to fetch water from the river for use at the facility, especially in maternity wards.Twijukye stressed that the hospital is required to use the Electronic Medical Registration system, but frequent blackouts make it unworkable.
“Sometimes power can go off for a week. A solar system would be the best alternative,” she said.The hospital’s ambulance broke down three years ago and has not been repaired due to a lack of funds.
Twikukye said that patients referred to the Regional Referral Hospital must hire private vehicles, while those who cannot afford transport remain at the facility. “The situation is worse for pregnant mothers referred in emergencies who cannot afford transport,” Twijukye added.
Jackline Chebet, the Amudat Clinical Officer, said the hospital recently acquired a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, but the equipment lies idle without reliable power to run it.
The facility also lacks an oxygen plant. Oxygen cylinders are refilled from Moroto Regional Referral Hospital at about thirty thousand shillings per cylinder, plus transport costs.
Chebet explained that each patient can consume three to five cylinders of oxygen a day. “Sometimes we fail to refill, yet oxygen is a critical requirement,” Chebet said.
Meanwhile, the ultrasound scan machine broke down, and spare parts for the old model are unavailable.
Chebet said that the hospital hopes to buy a new one if funds allow, but recruitment is another hurdle.
“We advertised three times for a specialist to operate the machine, but no one applied. The person we had earlier hired left for a government health facility,” Chebet explained. Hospital management is appealing to well-wishers to help address the gaps.
Their priorities include repairing the ambulance, establishing a mini oxygen plant, installing solar power, connecting to piped water, and purchasing a new ultrasound scan machine.“We call upon partners to support us so we can deliver quality services to the community,” Twijukye said-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
