Mbale hospital halts admission of Covid-19 patients due to lack of space
Mbale regional referral hospital has stopped admitting new patients with the novel Coronavirus (Covid-19).
The hospital administration say they have reached the full bed capacity for the facility and do not have any more space to admit new patients.
The announcement was made by Mbale hospital director Dr Emmanuel Tugineyo today. Dr Tugineyo said that Mbale isolation ward is currently looking after 16 patients although it has a ten bed capacity.
The six extra patients are being cared for in the corridor of the isolation ward.
He said that the hospital had already informed the Ministry of Health and the national Covid-19 taskforce of their situation.
Personnel at Mbale hospital
They are now referring new patients to neighbouring regional referral hospitals.
He revealed that in the near future, the hospital administration maybe forced to convert the mental unit of 40 beds into an isolation centre to treat more Covid-19 patients.
Dr Tugineyo said this would happen when the hospital received a consignment of ten new beds expected from the Ministry of Health supposed to be in the Intensive Care Ward (ICU) ward.
He reassured the public that Mbale hospital has enough staff and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to cater to the number admitted at the facility.
Last week, Mbale hospital discharged its Covid-19 recovery.
