By Lucky Patrick
Patients at Karugutu Health Center IV, have tasked government to construct more building facilities so that there can be privacy of patients at the health unit.
Karugutu Health Center IV which currently serves over 27,000 patients monthly, is the second health Center IV in Ntoroko district. Being along the high way, the facility receives patients from Bundibugyo Ntoroko and DRC.
However, the facility is having a number of challenges raging from shortage of essential drugs, inadequate staff, limited space for expansion and few structures for patients.
Patients and attendants at Karugutu Health Center IV, say the facility lacks privacy where by both men, women and children are being treated from the same general ward irrespective of the various illnesses. This act they say, is an acceptable and the government should immediately act on the problem.
Nyabalenzi Joyce one of the patients at this Health Center, told URN that it is shocking to have men in the same ward with females, saying that other patients can’t control themselves due to the illness related conditions hence end up striping naked in front of their opposite sex.
Yusuf Kule Katwikirize a patient attendant, told our reporter that Karugutu Health Center is the biggest facility in the district and due to its proximity, the government should grant it a status of a district general hospital
Katwikiirize says he was shocked when his patient was ordered to share the same ward with men yet she’s is a woman, he says the facility also treats all patients in the same ward I irrespective of their diagnosis
Mate sawani the secretary social services at Karugutu Town Council, says they have reported the matter to the district authorities’ severally but nothing has been done to save the situation.
Dr. Fredrick Kahuma, the Karugutu Health Center IV in charge, says the district and the government are all aware of the situation at the facility, however he is trying to convince Non-Government Organization development partners to lend a hand and help in establishing building structures which will in the end save the situation.
