Leaders in Mubende District have clashed with the administration of Mubende Regional Referral Hospital over the prolonged malfunctioning of the hospital’s X-ray machine, which has been out of service for several months.
As a result, patients are being referred to private facilities for essential X-ray services.
The X-ray machine plays a crucial role in diagnosing conditions, especially for patients with bone injuries such as fractures, helping orthopedic doctors determine the most appropriate treatment.
At present, both patients and healthcare workers at Mubende Regional Referral Hospital are struggling with the lack of a functioning X-ray machine.
The equipment has been non-operational for five months, leading to growing frustration among those in need of imaging services.
Several patients, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, expressed their distress over the situation, highlighting the challenges they face in accessing X-ray services.
"When we bring patients here with fractures, we are told to look for private X-ray services. I came without money, so we had to use the hospital ambulance to take my patient to a private facility. It’s very frustrating," one caregiver explained.
Many patients and caregivers also lamented the high costs associated with private X-ray services.
"When we reached the private X-ray clinics, they charged us Shs200,000. This is a difficult financial time for us. Additionally, we are having to buy drugs from private pharmacies because the hospital lacks medication," another caregiver noted.
Leaders Express Frustration
Mubende District Chairperson, Micheal Muhereza Ntambi, has strongly criticized the hospital administration for what he describes as negligence in handling the situation.
"It is absurd that the X-ray machine has been down for this long. The problem lies with the administration. Whenever we, as local leaders, try to intervene, they tell us it’s none of our business," Ntambi stated.
He revealed that he has instructed the district’s Health Committee to investigate the matter.
"Last week, I wrote to my health committee to visit the hospital and gather information. There could be a conspiracy among hospital officials to mismanage these machines and push patients toward their privately owned facilities," Ntambi added.
Mubende Woman Member of Parliament, Hope Grania Nakazibwe, also expressed her dissatisfaction with the Ministry of Health for its failure to resolve the issue in a timely manner.
"The hospital director told me the X-ray machine broke down and requires Shs 25 million for repairs, yet it has not been fixed for months," Nakazibwe stated.
She called on the government to act quickly, emphasizing the importance of Mubende Regional Referral Hospital in serving a large population.
"I urge Minister Jane Ruth Aceng or Permanent Secretary Diana Atwine to expedite the process of procuring the spare part for the X-ray machine. This is a regional hospital, meaning it serves many people," Nakazibwe urged.
Nakazibwe also expressed disappointment with the government’s failure to provide free medical services as expected.
"It is heartbreaking that our people come to the referral hospital hoping for free medical care, only to be referred to expensive private facilities," she added.
The MP further mentioned that she had raised the issue in Parliament, where Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja initially promised urgent action.
"Many people saw me raising this issue in Parliament as a matter of national importance, and the Prime Minister swiftly responded that the government would address it urgently," she said.
Hospital Administration Responds
Onesimus Kibaya, the Senior Hospital Administrator, responded to the accusations, dismissing claims that the X-ray machine had been out of service for five months.
"Our machine broke down, and we notified our technicians, who examined it. However, it has only been down for three months," Kibaya clarified.
He explained that the delay in fixing the machine was due to challenges in procuring spare parts.
"Our technicians found that the spare part needs to be shipped from abroad. We have spent a month searching for it, and we recently received a notification that it has been found. We expect it to arrive soon," he said.
Kibaya also acknowledged the difficulties faced by patients in the absence of a functional X-ray machine, noting that private facilities take advantage of the situation by raising their prices.
"Whenever private clinics learn that our X-ray machine is out of service, they automatically increase their charges, making it harder for our patients to receive timely treatment. However, we are working hard to resolve the issue," Kibaya assured.
Mubende Regional Referral Hospital serves eight districts, including the five major ones in Greater Mubende: Mubende, Mityana, Kassanda, Kiboga, and Kyankwanzi.
Other neighboring districts that depend on the hospital include Kakumiro, Kyegegwa, and Gomba.