NO More Sleep : Baryomunsi Orders Probe After Midnight Inspection Exposes Crisis at Mbarara Hospital.
By SKika Reporter.
Health Minister Dr Chris Baryomunsi has ordered investigations into the operations of Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital after a surprise midnight inspection exposed allegations of negligence, extortion, drug shortages, and poor patient care.
Dr Baryomunsi made the unannounced visit on Saturday night following complaints from patients and caregivers, who accused some health workers of neglecting patients, demanding illegal payments, and failing to provide essential medical services.
The minister arrived at the hospital at about 11:00 pm and began his inspection at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), where he found only two medical interns attending to emergency patients.
During his tour, caregivers told him they had waited for days without receiving treatment and had been forced to buy medicines that should have been available at the government facility.
The minister also reviewed patients’ medical files before proceeding to the female medical wards, where he encountered similar complaints.
Patients described severe overcrowding, poor hygiene, shortages of essential medicines, gloves, syringes, and other medical supplies, forcing many to seek treatment from private pharmacies.
Some caregivers further alleged that certain hospital staff demanded money before patients could access services.
At around 1:00 am, Acting Hospital Director Dr Deus Twesigye joined the minister during the inspection.
At the maternity ward, the officer in charge, Rossette Amutuhaire, informed the minister that the unit lacks enough delivery beds, midwives, and essential medicines to meet the increasing number of expectant mothers seeking care.
The inspection follows recent protests by patients and caregivers over poor service delivery at the hospital, including the reported death of a patient whose blood transfusion was allegedly delayed.
Patients also claimed they were asked to pay between Shs200,000 and Shs250,000 for X-ray, CT scan, and MRI services, despite the hospital being a public health facility.
Addressing journalists after the inspection, Dr Baryomunsi said the allegations would be thoroughly investigated.
“One of the caretakers told me that doctors here asked her for Shs250,000 for an X-ray, and when she failed to raise the money, she remained unattended to for six days.
We cannot allow this to continue,” he said.
The minister also identified weaknesses in the hospital’s security system and directed the management to strengthen security measures.
Acting Hospital Director Dr Twesigye acknowledged many of the concerns raised but attributed the challenges to overwhelming patient numbers, inadequate government funding, and limited medical supplies.
“It is true the hospital is struggling. No patient comes here expecting to sleep on the floor or to find no medicines. But it is also true that we receive far more patients than the supplies and resources allocated to us can support,” he said.
Despite the challenges, the government reaffirmed its commitment to upgrading Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital into a national referral hospital comparable to Mulago National Referral Hospital, with improved infrastructure, equipment, and medical supplies to enhance healthcare services.
