Mulago National Referral Hospital is facing a serious crisis after 27 of the 28 incubators broke down, putting dozens of lives of premature babies at risk.
For the last three month, doctors at the hospital have been using cotton linen to shelter hundreds of prematurely born babies. About 30 to 40 babies are born prematurely at Mulago Hospital every day and, every month, the hospital handles close to 1,000 premature babies.
Due to the longevity of the old ones and delayed or lack of repairs, some of the broken incubators can no longer be repaired. Administration has failed to repair the machines, citing lack of funds.
About 20 Members of Parliament visited the facility last month and were shocked at awful conditions under which the premature babies were being kept.
Tororo Municipality MP Sanjay Tanna yesterday said, “There is only one doctor and one nurse handling the whole pediatric ward. At night, there is no doctor in this section. This is very absurd.”
At the time of the visit, Mr Tanna said 59 babies were waiting to be placed in the only available machine, and that they were being handled by two medical officers who, according to this lawmaker, are overworked and look extremely exhausted.
When journalists attempted to contact the hospital’s deputy spokesperson Sarah Mulongo she claimed she was in a meeting. “But you people!” she screamed, “What’s wrong with you and the incubators.”
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