Soroti Regional Referral Hospital, the main coronavirus treatment facility for Teso Sub-region has announced that the facility has installed five Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds in a bid to improve care for Covid-19 patients.
The announcement comes on the verge of highlighted the crisis of ICU beds in the country as Covid-19 infections continue to spread in the various parts of the country.
This website learnt from the Daily Monitor report of Monday 28th, December 2020 that that regional referral hospitals were stuck with ICU equipment meant for treatment of critically-ill Covid-19 patients because the health facilities lack structures in which to install them.
The regional referral hospitals in Mbale, Arua and Gulu lacked functional ICU facilities and other regional hospitals despite claims by Mr George Otim, the commissioner of Health Services Infrastructure at the Health ministry, that they have established 143 ICU beds at 14 regional referral hospitals.
Soroti Regional Referral Hospital yesterday sent out a tweet and announced that the installation of the five ICU beds would help improve care for Covid-19 patients and other critically ill patients though support from the Ministry of Health.
The director of Soroti Regional Referral hospital, Dr Michael Mwanga, told this website that they requested the beds following the shortage in the hospital.
Dr Mwanga said: “Right now, we have received five beds, and they will be assembled in the ICU department for Covid-19 patients who are in critical condition.”
On account of overwhelming Covid-19 numbers, the hospital was forced to relocate mental cases from the facility to Princes Diana Health Centre IV in order to create space for Covid-19 patients.
The hospital hosts Covid-19 patients from close to 10 districts of Teso Sub-region but lacked adequate specialised staff and other ICU facilities.
Do you have a story or an opinion to share? Email us on: dailyexpressug@gmail.com Or follow the Daily Express on X Platform or WhatsApp for the latest updates.
