Covid-19 Exposes Corruption In Ugandan Government

Nsunjo Erica

A video of a lady has been trending on social media about the poor health conditions the asymptomatic COVID-19 patients at Masaka Regional Referral Hospital in Uganda are being exposed to.

According to the video, the buildings have rotten wood borders and the patients are being treated in a tent built on dry grounds, this is exposing them to the other diseases like cholera due to the improper hygiene

The Masaka Hospital where these patients are being treated from has no trash cans for the patients to throw any trash, this forces them to just litter the rubbish anywhere, which rubbish attracts flies, the entire process disgusts.

The patients that were brought in about weeks back are being mixed with new arrivals, this is dangerous because the new arrivals could have more infections to pass on to those that were already on medication.

Funny how this Masaka hospital for the COVID-19 asymptomatic patients has no private wards, children of four to five years are being mixed up with grown women, the immune system for kids is very weak therefore they can easily be infected.

The hospital has no genitors, the COVID-19 asymptomatic patients are meant to look after themselves which includes cleaning their own wards and toilets, the doctors just drop the medicines and leave, seems these patients are being feared.

The toilets have no chemicals to be used while cleaning them, additionally, these toilets have no proper running water systems, it’s in droplets, this COVID-19 patient claims that they use toilets and fail to flash afterward.

The asymptomatic patients at Masaka Referral Hospital are not receiving proper meals, this lady states that they are only fed with dry tea, one piece of meat and a small portion of matooke and beans sometimes, its twice a day. These patients might die of malnutrition.

The lady in the video that went viral calls upon president Museveni to come and look at the poor health condition the COVID-19 patients at Masaka Referral Hospital are living through otherwise they may die of other diseases other than the virus itself

Response From The Uganda Ministry Of Health

The Ministry of health through its press release trashed the claims by the woman in the viral video. The ministry says that due to the increased number of patients, they were forced to put up a temporary structure, the tent.

According to the ministry, the doctors check on the patients regularly from time to time. Additionally, the ministry goes ahead and clarifies that the hospital is in proper health conditions and well-furnished as the bed capacity is being expanded to over 50.

The ministry denies not giving the patients proper meals as stated in the video, it adds that the hospital is being expanded therefore that’s why some structures appear unfinished, however, the patients will be transferred after the renovation.