By KT Reporter
Patients seeking medical care at Rukoki General Hospital in Kasese District have expressed concern over the poor state of infrastructure and service delivery at the facility. Formerly a Health Centre IV, Rukoki was elevated to hospital status in July this year—a move that was expected to enhance access to healthcare in the region.
However, the facility is now struggling to accommodate the growing number of patients due to inadequate infrastructure, forcing some to sleep under tents in the compound. Ronald Ngendi, a caregiver at the hospital, highlighted the challenges faced by patients, including drug shortages that compel them to seek medication from private clinics.
He noted that the hospital’s facilities are insufficient to handle the patient load, particularly in the maternity ward, and that the number of toilets is inadequate for both patients and their caretakers. Jackline Masika, another attendant, said some patients are forced to sleep on the floor in the maternity ward due to the shortage of beds. She appealed to the government to adequately equip the facility so that patients can receive the services they need.
According to the hospital administrator, Dan Mbahimba, construction works on a new modern maternity ward stalled at the wall-plate level due to a lack of funds. He explained that the government had only released 400 million shillings out of the required 1.2 billion shillings for the structure. Mbahimba, however, remains optimistic that the remaining funds will be released to complete the building.
He added that since the facility’s elevation to hospital status, there has been some improvement in services, including the deployment of specialists such as a surgeon, gynecologist, and orthopedic officer, among others. While the upgrade was expected to bring relief to the community, the current situation has raised concerns about the government’s ability to provide adequate healthcare infrastructure and services.
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