Mbale hospital on the spot over rising maternal deaths
A family in Nasanga sub-county, Budaka district has put Mbale regional referral hospital on the spot over the death of their loved one while giving birth.
Namuluba Magada 30, a mother of six, and a resident of Nasanga A parish was set to deliver her seventh child at Budaka health centre IV from where she was referred to Mbale regional Referral hospital on Sunday night for further management.
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The following day the relatives were tasked by the medics on duty to look for blood before an operation could be conducted.
The search for blood ended in futility until the mother breathed her last on September 24.
Body of the deceased
Relatives attributed her death to negligence by the medical officers.
On the same day, another expectant mother by the names of Musenero Bayat, from the same locality succumbed to death under related circumstances.
The hospital director was not available for comment by press time.
However, a reliable source who preferred anonymity revealed that the hospital is currently overwhelmed by the number of referrals, pointing to possible gaps at the lower health units.
The source attributed the problem to inadequate facilities and shortage of blood which makes it difficult to attend to all patients.
An official from Mbale regional blood bank however said there is sufficient blood adding that it is always dispatched to the referral hospital on request.
The question that remains is whether the blood that is released by the blood bank ends up in the right place.
With a catchment area of 16 districts, the maternity ward of Mbale referral hospital carries out18 surgery cases daily.
