The Parliament Committee on Government Assurances and Implementation is investigating the circumstances surrounding the dismantling of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Gulu Regional Referral Hospital.
Chaired by Hon. Abed Bwanika, the committee is scrutinising authorities commitments within the well being sector and developments in new cities and districts.
In 2019, Parliament accredited a mortgage request, allowing the Government to borrow roughly Shs200 billion from the International Development Association (IDA) of the World Bank Group below the Intergovernmental Fiscal Transfers (UgIFT) Programme.
The funding was purposed for upgrading well being centre II’s to well being centre III’s in sub counties missing government-owned well being centre III amenities.
In 2021, an additional mortgage request of Shs352.2 billion from the IDA was accredited by Parliament to finish the upgrades, assemble and equip new well being centre III’s, and recruit workers for all upgraded well being centre II’s, amongst different targets. Government additionally procured ICU for all regional referral hospitals.
During the committee’s go to to Gulu Regional Referral Hospital on Friday, 29 June 2024, it was found that regardless of receiving 10 ICU beds, solely 4 have been operational as an ICU.
Components corresponding to screens, ventilators, and ICU beds had been relocated to different hospital areas, severely compromising the ICU’s performance. Additionally, two ICU beds have been out of service.
The committee’s deputy chairperson, Hon. Joyce Bagala, expressed concern over the unfinished ICU items introduced to the committee, noting discrepancies within the gear provided by the Japan International Cooperation Agency and the Government.
Hon. Bwanika demanded explanations from the hospital administration concerning the whereabouts of the ICU parts and the explanations behind their dismantling.
“It is regrettable that costly ICU gear has been dispersed throughout the hospital, rendering the ICU ineffective, the people accountable seem unable to account for this stuff, a few of which have been repurposed as commonplace hospital beds,” Bwanika mentioned.
Reports indicated that senior hospital administration had determined to redistribute some ICU parts to varied wards, together with maternity, surgical, and emergency items after the tip of COVID-19.
An ICU unit sometimes contains an ICU mattress, ventilators, drug pumps, oxygen provide, and suctioning machines. However, a number of ICUs on the hospital have been discovered missing these important parts.
In response to the state of affairs, the hospital’s storekeeper, Robert Vupale, was escorted to the police station to document an announcement on the dismantling of the ICU and the lacking gear.
Hon. Robert Ssekitoleeko (NUP, Bamunanika County, Luweero) proposed holding your entire hospital administration accountable for the ICU’s degradation.
“The accountability for this situation lies with all concerned events, together with the director and technical workers managing the ICU. A complete investigation needs to be carried out to handle the breakdown in institutional administration,” proposed Ssekitoleeko
Following discussions, the committee determined that the hospital’s Director, Dr Peter Mukobi, presently away on official duties in Kampala, ought to report back to the Gulu Central Police Station and document an announcement concerning the state of affairs earlier than the Police can decide proceed with investigations into the matter.
