HEALTH | MINISTRY | AMBULANCE 

ARUA - The health ministry has promised to replace the Arua Regional Referral Hospital ambulance that was stolen as the search for the missing one continues.

Health state minister in charge of general duties Hanifa Kawooya, during her recent visit to Arua, told the leaders that the ministry was committed to replacing the ambulance, to ensure effective service delivery.

A probe into circumstances under which the ambulance went missing still continues. 

Her comments followed a remark by the hospital management board chairperson, Dr Sam Okuonzi, in which he blamed the ministry for not swiftly acting on their reports and recommendations.

He said since the board was constituted in 2019, it has been confronted with a lot of challenges regarding the theft of hospital equipment.

“When the ambulance was stolen, I submitted a recommendation to the ministry, but we have not received any response from them,” Okuonzi said.

He also complained that some of the hospital equipment that was recovered has never been brought back to the facility.

Mbarara City Woman legislator Margaret Ayebare, who is also a member  of Parliament’s health committee, said: “We shall support the procurement of an  ambulance for the hospital because this is  an urgent matter.” 

Fack check 

Arua Hospital reported a case of a missing ambulance worth sh300m on March 29.

A private investigation was commissioned by the hospital management board in which eight staff of the facility were implicated.

However, no official position on the final decision taken against the culprits has been communicated.