Sylvia Kugonza
The State Minister of Health for Primary Care, Margret Muhanga Mugisa, has expressed her concern regarding reports of illegal extortion by some health workers at Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital.
During the handover of a Type C ambulance valued at 450 million shillings, donated by the Ministry of Health, Muhanga revealed that she has received numerous complaints and witnessed instances where patients were pressured to pay for treatment, sometimes resulting in tragic outcomes.
Margaret Muhanga on Extortion
Call for Fair Treatment of Patients
Muhanga, questioned how medical personnel could demand money from patients to the extent that those unable to pay are forced to leave their beds, leading to dire consequences.
She attributed this issue to poor hospital administration, noting that the hospital director often claims to be unavailable due to leave, workshops, or personal commitments.
To address this, the government plans to conduct an orientation for all hospital staff to clarify their roles and responsibilities.
“We are still dissatisfied with the administration of this hospital. They probably deserve refresher courses to remind them of their duties, so they can respect the efforts that the government has put in this hospital. We have for example brought a CT scan, and a high-quality laboratory that is under construction worth 9 billion Shillings that can only be found in Lira in the whole country” She noted
The new ambulance
Furthermore, the minister stated that she and her colleagues, including the permanent secretaries, are working on restructuring the hospital’s administration to restore order. She urged future users of the newly donated ambulance to make good use of it, emphasizing that the government has invested significant resources for the benefit of patients.
Dr. Richard Mugahi, Commissioner for Reproductive and Infant Health, reinforced that the hospital administration must take responsibility for improving the facility’s image, especially after the government increased funding from 250 million to 1.3 billion shillings, leaving no room for excuses regarding manageable administrative issues.
