Health Minister Dr Chris Baryomunsi has ordered investigations into the operations of Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital after a surprise late-night inspection uncovered allegations of negligence, extortion, drug shortages and poor patient care.
Baryomunsi made the unannounced visit on Saturday night following complaints from patients and caregivers, who accused some health workers of neglecting patients, demanding illegal payments and failing to provide essential services.
The minister arrived at the hospital at about 11pm and began his inspection at the Intensive Care Unit, where he found only two medical interns attending to emergency patients.
Caregivers told him they had spent days without receiving treatment and had been forced to buy medicines that should have been available at the public facility.
After reviewing patients' medical records and interacting with caregivers, Baryomunsi toured the female medical wards, where he encountered similar complaints.
Patients and caregivers cited severe congestion, poor hygiene, shortages of drugs, gloves, syringes and other medical supplies, saying they were often required to purchase these items from private pharmacies.
They also alleged that some hospital workers demanded money before patients could access services.
At around 1am, Acting Hospital Director Dr Deus Twesigye joined the minister during the inspection.
At the maternity ward, the officer in charge, Rossette Amutuhaire, informed the minister that the unit lacks sufficient delivery beds, midwives and essential medicines to cope with the growing number of expectant mothers seeking care.
The inspection comes just days after patients and caregivers protested poor services at the hospital following the reported death of a patient whose blood transfusion was allegedly delayed.
Some patients also told the minister they were charged between Shs200,000 and Shs250,000 to access X-ray, CT scan and MRI services.
Addressing journalists after the inspection, Baryomunsi said the government would investigate the allegations.
"One of the caretakers told me that doctors here asked her for Shs250,000 for an X-ray, and when she failed to raise the money, she remained unattended to for six days. We cannot allow this to continue," he said.
The minister also identified weaknesses in the hospital's security system and directed the administration to address them.
Twesigye acknowledged many of the concerns raised but attributed much of the crisis to overwhelming patient numbers and inadequate government funding and supplies.
"It is true the hospital is struggling. No patient comes here expecting to sleep on the floor or to find no medicines. But it is also true that we receive far more patients than the supplies and resources allocated to us can support," he said.
Despite the challenges, the government says it remains committed to upgrading Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital into a national referral hospital comparable to Mulago, with improved infrastructure, equipment and medical supplies aimed at enhancing service delivery.
