Kamwenge patients resort to private health care centers
Patients in Kamwenge are facing a tough situation as government health facilities are experiencing severe drug shortages, forcing them to seek private healthcare.
This has led to increased costs, delayed care, and potential medication errors.
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The issue is attributed to the rising number of patients seeking medical attention, coupled with insufficient medical supplies from the National Medical Stores (NMS).
``Yesterday, I took my grandson who is suffering from diarrhoea to Kamwenge health center III for treatment but we found no medicine there. They only wrote for us the tablets to buy from pharmacies’’, Jackline Twebaze,a grandmother to the sick child lamented.
James Kuribanza, who also took his pregnant sick wife to Rukunyu hospital, which he sought, is better stocked with drugs after failing to attract medical attention at Bigodi Health Center III found no drugs and decided to go to a private clinic for treatment.
``I was so much pained to find that even our hospital could not help my pregnant wife with even a single Panado. I have been advised to take her to a private clinic for treatment which is also expensive for me. He narrated.
Rukunyu Hospital's Incharge, Dr. Ivan Mujuni, shared that per month, the facility receives patients at least 2000-3000 Out Patient Department (OPD) whereas between 800-1000 patients In Patient Department (IPD) excluding maternity and HIV and Diabetes noting that it’s an overwhelming number compared to the medical surprise they from NMS.
He adds that the facility has been struggling with medical supply shortages for over six months, resulting in patients buying their own drugs.
``We are currently experiencing a large volume of patients close to 4000 monthly yet we have been having challenges with medical supplies from March up to September and of course patients have to close the gap by buying their own drugs’’, He explained.
Kamwenge District Health Officer (DHO) William Mucunguzi revealed that at the end of last month, the district received drugs and other medical supplies for all public facilities however they were not enough attributing this to the high demand compared to what they receive from the National medical Stores (NMS).
``Last month we received medicines and other supplies from NMS but they were not enough due to the high demand by the population’’, He explained.
The government of Uganda has already increased the medicines’ budget by shs 1 billion in the financial year 2024/2025.
The development aims to tackle the predicament drug shortages in all public facilities across the country.
