Masaka Regional Referral hospital administration is worried after the facility run out space for coronavirus/COVID19 patients.
As the numbers of confirmed COVID19 cases continue to grow, the country also faces the issue of space at designated regional referral hospitals where some patients are undergoing treatment. At the start of the pandemic, the Ministry of Health had designated Entebbe Grade B hospital and Mulago National specialized hospital to deal with COVID19 patients.
However, with the increase in numbers, it was decided that all regional referral hospitals be prepared as management centres for COVID-19 patients in their respective regions.
According to Dr Nathan Onyaki, the Masaka Hospital Medical Director, they had set aside their Mental Health Ward as the COVID-19 isolation and treatment centre, but it is now overstretched due to the increasing number of patients.
Dr Onyaki explains that the centre was designated to manage cases evacuated from the Mutukula One-Stop Border Post at the Uganda-Tanzania entry point, but, it is receiving cases from as far as Isingiro district hence overstretching their capacity.
The treatment centre which has a holding capacity of 21 beds is now filled, and left with no room for other patients, though it has so far discharged three people after they recovered.
On average, the facility has since last week been receiving at least two patients per day, who are mainly from the Mutukula testing point, and plans to expand the isolation centre to the School of Comprehensive Nursing and Midwifery have been halted after the government decided to reopen schools next month.
The in-charge of Masaka hospital COVID-19 treatment centre Doctor Mark Jjuuko, says that they plan to use temporary tents for admitting new patients.
By last evening, 160 nationals have tested positive for Coronavirus following an additional 15 that tested positive on Thursday.
