Caregivers and expectant mothers at Masaka Regional Referral Hospital can now breathe a sigh of relief following a decision by management to start utilising the new maternity and child complex.
The multibillion complex, whose construction commenced in 2015, has been idle after government failed to secure additional funds to equip the facility and have it operational.
According to Mr Robert Mpanga, the principal hospital administrator, they secured some funds and decided to occupy the complex to serve the growing population of people seeking maternity services from the regional referral hospital.
Initially, the project was expected to be completed in 2017 at a cost of Shs10b, but changes in the designs to include an intensive care unit pushed the cost to Shs12.2b.
Mr Mpanga, during an interview on August 8, said the decision to occupy the new complex has completely changed the working environment for the staff, caretakers and mothers seeking services at the hospital.
‘The expectant mothers and caregivers can now enjoy enough space without fear of being crowded in the wards.’
He added ‘The bed space is enough, though we still need to get some beds to fill the space since some beds were too worn out to be carried to the new building.’
Congested ward
In the old maternity ward, caregivers occupied corridors and their rising numbers forced the hospital management to improvise with tents.
The hospital management had earlier indicated that they needed Shs600m for utilities and another Shs2b for equipping the complex.
Mr Mpanga, said they are still looking for more funds to refurbish the old maternity building so its use is repurposed.
Mr Swaibu Makumbi Sulambaya, one of the health activists in Masaka region, welcomed the development, saying: ‘We are happy that after a long wait now mothers can have a decent facility’.
Ms Agnes Nankya, one of the mothers who seeks antenatal services from Masaka Regional Referral Hospital, expressed joy about the developments, saying she is optimistic that this will improve maternal health service delivery in the region.
‘I was so happy to find the new maternity ward open last week. The old ward had discouraged many of us from conceiving again.’
This Publication has learnt that the ICU equipment given to the hospital by the government, during the Covid pandemic is also lying idle in the hospital store awaiting installation in the complex.
Currently, patients have to seek ICU services from either Kampala or Mbarara both located over 100km away.
‘ICU and other planned services will gradually be offered since we are now using the complex.’ Mr Mpanga added
The complex, when fully operational, will also have two fully equipped theatres, a gynecology unit, antenatal and neonatal centers, labour and post-natal wards. That is coupled with a pediatric and nutrition units plus adolescent health units.
HOSPITAL HISTORY
Constructed in 1927, Masaka Regional Referral Hospital serves eight districts – Masaka, Rakai, Lyantonde, Lwengo, Ssembabule, Bukomansimbi, Kalungu and Kalangala, taking care of more than two million people.
Situated on the Mbarara-Kigali highway, it is the first point of call for patients, mainly accident victims from Burundi, Rwanda, the DR Congo and Tanzania.
Consequently, the hospital’s average daily contact with patients is 1,800 and about 360 admissions daily, of which a minimum of 40 are new deliveries.