MPs on the committee on government assurances and implementation have tasked the management of Gulu Regional Referral Hospital to explain the circumstances under which they disaggregated their intensive care unit (ICU).
The MPs led by committee chairperson Abed Bwanika on Friday visited the hospital to follow up on government interventions in the health sector and new cities and districts. In 2019, parliament approved a loan request, under the Intergovernmental Fiscal Transfers (UgIFT) program authorizing the government to borrow up to approximately Shs 200 billion from the International Development Association (IDA) of the World Bank Group.
The loan was meant to support the upgrading of health centre IIs to health centre IIIs in all sub-counties. In 2021, parliament approved an additional loan request, authorizing the government to borrow the equivalent of Shs 352.2 billion from the IDA to facilitate the completion of the upgrade of the health centres.
The additional request was also meant to aid the construction and equipment of new health centre IIIs; and the equipping and recruitment of staff for all upgraded health centre IIs among others. The committee which visited the hospital however established that whereas the hospital received 10 ICU beds, only four were still fully functioning. The committee also found out that other ICU equipment like monitors, ventilators, and ICU beds were moved for other purposes around the hospital which has over time crippled the ICU Unit.
During the MPs’ visit, two ICU beds were also found to have broken down and are not being used anymore. Joyce Bagala, deputy chairperson of the committee wondered where all the components of the ICU beds were, as what was shown to the committee were simply incomplete ICU units.
“You told us the beds in the ICU were supplied by JICA, and we told you that government also brought beds here, and we asked you how many beds you have, but they do not have the accessories, these are not full units of ICU,” she said.
Bwanika, tasked the hospital to explain where some of the ICU equipment went and why they were dismantled and are now being used as normal beds. Bwanika noted that the ICU equipment was bought expensively, and it is unfortunate that the ICU system of the hospital is crippled because what is meant to be ICU was disaggregated.
“We are dismayed by what we have witnessed in the hospital, those who are concerned cannot account for this equipment, they do not know where this equipment is, some were dismantled and some are being used as normal beds,” Bwanika said.
The MPs also received reports that some senior management of the hospital in a meeting allegedly decided to move some of the ICU components to the different wards like maternity, surgical wards and emergency among others. An ICU bed or full unit is composed of a standard ICU flexible bed, ventilators, a pump for drugs, oxygen, and a suctioning machine, but 6 of the hospital ICUs at least do not have these components.
As a result, the hospital storekeeper, Robert Vupale was taken to the Gulu Central police station to record statements on the dismantled ICUs and missing parts. Robert Ssekitoleeko, Bamunanika County MP in Luwero district proposed that the entire hospital administration be held accountable for the disintegration of the ICU.
“When you analyze the gist of the problem, all these people must be held accountable especially those who are in the chain of this problem. As we speak the director has a part to play, the technical people who run the ICU unit have a part to play, so that this institution is made better,” he proposed.
The committee on Friday resolved that the director of the hospital Dr Peter Mukobi, who was away in Kampala on official duties reports to the police in Gulu and records a statement over the matter. Mukobi however told URN in an interview Saturday that when he assumed office two years ago, he took over the management of five ICU units at the hospital which are still in good working state.
“As far as I know, what I took over, the ICU is working well with the units which were delivered by ElsMed, the company that delivered and installed the five ICUs. They are working well as it is for now,” said Dr Mukobi.
Mukobi said he would cooperate with the police in the investigation after getting full details of the committee’s visit
