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By Richard Onapatum
Katakwi general hospital has on Saturday 28th January, 2023 received a variety of modern electric beds and equipment worth 300million to improve on the patient’s bed ratio in the hospital.
The health equipment delivered during the weekend to the hospital include 54modern beds, 57 modern coated mattresses, 97 bed rids, operating and examination tables
Dr Odeng Simon Peter, the medical superintendent of Katakwi General Hospital who received the equipment says this is a unique donation that operates with power and has a provision where patients can press to call a nurse for any emergency unlike other ordinary beds the hospital has been using.
“If you want to change the sitting position it can change, if you want to bring it up it can raise, if you want to raise only legs you can raise, you adjust according to how you want to attend to your patient” said Dr Odeng
Dr Odeng also added that they will sit as a health committee with Katakwi District Health Office to map out areas that may need some of the modern electric beds.
Currently the bed capacity in Katakwi Hospital stands at 87%.
Dan Mulalu the private Secretary in charge of political; Mobilization in the Office of the President says the beds were purchased to beef up health services delivery to the people of katakwi.
“The irksome health sector in the district strained me to write to my American based friends to support my district, a request they immediately accepted” said Mulalu
Mulalu who has political ambitions for Ngariam County is convinced that the donation will help bring to an end sharing of beds by patients.
Katakwi hospital on a daily receives an average of 600 patients at outpatients department. The facility has since been overwhelmed with a challenge of bed capacity.
Some of the patients who witnessed the delivery of the donation such as Florence Itwala, a resident of Aleles village Akoboi Sub County thanked Mulalu for his endeavors.
“Last time I heard Mulalu brought cassava cuttings, in between there he helped connect Akoboi health center to electricity and today I have seen with my eyes this modern beds, I think he is a capable leader”, said Itwala
Joseph Olaboro a resident of Oale in Katakwi Sub County described Mulalu as a true leader who is focused in service delivery to develop katakwi.
“We don’t want things we shall just eat and it just spills at the end of the day, we deserve long lasting achievements directed to end household poverty,” Said Olaboro
Last year in august, the office of the vice president also donated 60 modern beds to Katakwi district hospital to boost health service delivery
Vice President Jessica Alupo-who is also woman MP Katakwi district while handing over the beds described this intervention as part of Government initiatives to continously facilitate and improve the health sector.
Overview
Katakwi District General hospital has never performed any services of a full hospital due to limited infrastructure and machinery.
Since its elevation to the status of a district hospital from health Centre IV, ten years ago, Katakwi Hospital is still grappling with shortage of infrastructure and machinery.
The hospital was upgraded by the Government in 2011 but its structures have remained the same with no improvement apart from staffing.
Katakwi General Hospital was established in 2004, as Katakwi Health Centre IV.
In 2011, it was elevated to a full-fledged hospital, serving patients from Katakwi District and the neighboring districts of Amuria, Kapelebyong, Kumi, Nakapiripirit and Napak.
Like many government hospitals in Uganda, the hospital is understaffed and underfunded.
