Chew what you can swallow, Govt told

Mbarara, (UG):- The Parliamentary Committee on Government Assurance and Implementation has spent better of the day traversing government institutions in western Uganda in a bid to track the pledges made by the ruling government.

The team of legislators which was led by the Mityana District Parliamentarian Hon Joyce Bagala also reached Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital, Western Uganda’s biggest facility to get the picture. 

These toured the newly installed Computed Scan and Magnetic Resonance  Imaging (MRI), Oxygen Plants and Intensive Care Unit. The committee heard that Mbarara Referral Hospital has continued to attract many people in search of CT scan services due to either nonfunctional CT scan services or a lack of radiologists in the referral hospitals in the region.

On a daily basis, it’s estimated that Mbarara Referral Hospital scans over 15 patients some of whom are referred to by other regional referral hospitals in the region.

Dr Deus Twesigye, the Acting Hospital Director added that as a result imaging consumables get depleted easily.

In the Intensive Care Unit, the Committee was shocked to learn that a Hospital of such magnitude is equipped with only eight beds. It’s said that at times the hospital’s ICU gets full easily which affects other patients in need of the services.

Hon Joyce Bagala urged the government to look into the matter and give the hospital the attention it deserves.

The Mityana Woman MP also assured Ugandans that as Parliamentarians whose cardinal objectives are to carry out oversight roles, legislate and represent the populace, they will work to ensure that taxpayers get back desired services.

Hon Bagala further urged the government to always make realistic commitments adding that most of the newly installed CT scans are nonfunctional. Halson Kagure, the Hospital Public Relations Officer says that the government has been supportive only towards the facility’s development amidst the rapid population growth they have got to coup up with. 

The Committee Chairperson also tasked Dr Deus Twesigye to compile a thorough report detailing challenges faced by hospitals and unfulfilled pledges to engage the government on the way forward.