Kalisizo Hospital in Kyotera district has received a donation of more than 200 Coronavirus (COVID-19) doses and Personal Protective Equipment from the area member of parliament, John Paul Mpalanyi to help in the treatment of COVID-19 patients.
The vaccines are mainly meant for health workers and other selected beneficiaries.
According to Mpalanyi, the donation is in response to repeated outcries from the hospital for the items amid the growing number of COVID-19 patients and deaths.
So far 18 health workers at the facility have contracted the virus, with two of them on oxygen.
Mpalanyi pledged to lobby more support for the hospital and appealed to the Kyotera business community and well-wishers to support the hospital.
He adds that much as it is the government responsibility to equip the hospital, it is a good practice for district leaders to come in when government delays to fulfill its mandate.
Emmanuel Ssekyeru, the Medical Superintendent Kalisizo Hospital, says that there is no small donation when it comes at the right time of need. He explained that they have been struggling to treat patients without enough drugs.
He revealed that the hospital has so far registered a cumulative number of 216 COVID-19 patients including 18 health workers.
Ssekyeru says that they are challenged by few oxygen cylinders and lack of enough space to isolate and treat patients with severe disease. Â
He further adds that they lack an X-ray machine to help them establish the extent of the damage to the patients’ lungs.
According to Ssekyeru, their X-ray has been nonfunctional for over four years, which has made the treatment of COVID-19 patients difficult.
Patrick Kintu Kisekulo, the Kyotera LC V chairman appealed to the residents not to overwhelm the hospital and urged them to seek COVID-19 treatment from lower health units in their communities.
