By Alex Gahima and Gerald Niyirinda
The Kisoro Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr. Emmanuel Bahane has praised the Ministry of Health for supporting the construction of two mega projects, including a state-of-the-art Isolation ward and Operating Theatre.
The development comes only months after the former Isolation ward at the hospital was rehabilitated and converted into a modern Intensive Care Unit; the first of its kind at district level across the entire country.
Dr Bahane said Kisoro Hospital was selected under a Ministry of Health project called Uganda COVID-19 Response and Emergency Preparedness Project (UCREPP)
In a circular seen by Voice of Muhabura dated 23rd January 2023, written to the Kisoro District Chief Administrative Officer from the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, states that the overall project objective is to prevent, detect and respond to COVID- 19 and strengthen normal systems for public health emergences.
Kisoro District Hospital serves a huge population including foreign nationals from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda.
“It is common for Congolese refugees fleeing Political instability in their country to seek medical assistance from the Government hospital. Due to the broken-down health care and Governance systems in eastern DRC, it is possible that such patients can come with serious illnesses that can easily lead to an epidemic outbreak, if not detected quickly”, Bahane said
Kisoro Hospital has had to contend with serious public health emergences include COVID-19, Ebola and Cholera.
Dr Bahane said the new Isolation ward will be a serious game changer and should not be viewed as a white elephant but as an investment that will help improve health care services in the entire Kigezi region.
The new Isolation ward will have a 45-bed capacity including a modern laboratory and emergency theatre.
Engineer Asaba Oswald of Geses Uganda described the construction of the Isolation ward as a significant project that will require expertise.
He noted that ground clearing has been quite challenging due to the nature of the rocks in the ground however having locals from Kisoro working on the project has made the work move on well.
New Theatre to replace Old Dilapidated one.
Dr Bahane says that the Ministry of Health also agreed to fund the construction of a new modern theatre behind the maternity ward.
“The new theatre will have sections that include surgical, gynecological and resting rooms for patients”, Bahane explained.
The theatre currently in use is likely to collapse at any moment due to the cracked walls.
The two projects are set to be completed by February 2025.
Kisoro District Chief Administrative Officer Hajji Badru Majwala said he is aware of the on-going works but does not have full details regarding its progress.
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