This month marks three years since Mulago Specialised Women and Neonatal hospital was established.

Opened in September 2018, the hospital was set up to provide highly specialized reproductive and neonatal health services for referred patients and also to reduce referrals abroad.

However, several core services remain on paper due to funding and staffing constraints.

This financial year 2021/2022 Mulago received sh25.8bn. Although this is an increment compared to the 2020/21 financial year, where the hospital received sh21.5bn, several critical areas are still unfunded.

Evelyn Nabunya Executive Director/ Board secretary Mulago specialized women and neonatal hospital (L), with Hanifa Kawooya Minister of State in Charge of General Duties. Photos by Godiver Asege

Currently, the facility lacks, MRI scanner, CT scanner, whereas the in-vitro fertilization (IVF) is not functional.

IVF is a medical procedure where an egg is fertilised by sperm in a test tube outside the body.

An MRI scan can be used as an extremely accurate method of disease detection throughout the body and is most often used after the other testing fails to provide sufficient information to confirm a patient's diagnosis.

A CT scanner (32 slice) is estimated at $350m while an MRI scanner (1.5T) is estimated at $1.2m.

“Government has provided funding to procure a CT Scanner but we still need MRI scanner to offer quality specialized services,” Nabunya said.

At least sh3.8bn has been provided in the budget for the procurement of CT Scanner and other IT equipment, furniture and transport.

The facility also lacks a standby ambulance, an oxygen backup and enough specialized staff.

General staffing levels at the facility are also low with only 376 out of the required 880. This has affected critical areas including Anesthesia and Critical care, Radiology, Laboratory which are understaffed.

Romano Byaruhsnga Board Chairperson Mulago specialized women and neonatal hospital taking an oath during the Mulago specialized women and neonatal hospital inauguration and orientation of the board members

“As a centre of specialized care, we still have few specialists, which is affecting us. We don’t have an embryologist, we need one,” said Evenly Nabunya, the Hospital Executive Director said.

“We have a premature unit where we have found out that many babies are born with eye problems. We also need a Pediatric ophthalmologist and we a neurosurgeon,” she added.

Asked how much is needed to have these services in place, Nabunya said, she cannot reveal at the moment.

“We need money to train staff abroad. Training a specialist cost about $25,000 in India and about $64,000 in the US,” Nabunya said.

This cost includes tuition, upkeep, feeding, and insurance.

The state minister for Health in charge of General Duties, Hanifa Kawooya, revealed that the government is committed to funding the health sector and will support the hospital.

“Financing is a challenge that cuts across but we need to address the challenges in this facility by providing funding,” Kawoya said.

She revealed that funding to the health sector needs to be increased.

Asked about the high costs of accessing services at the hospital, Kawoya said they can be addressed by the new Board.

Kawoya was attending the inauguration of the Specialised Hospital Board which was inaugurated on Thursday, 2 September at Hotel Africana.

Since its establishment, the hospital has been running without a board which has affected its governance.

The New board will be chaired by Dr. Romano Byaruhanga a Senior Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at St. Francis Hospital, Nsambya whereas Dr. Evelyn Nabunya will be the secretary.

Other members are; Moses Mulumba a lawyer, Clemensia Nakabiito a Senior Consultant Obs/Gyn, Eng. Emmanuel Twinamatsiko, Naomi Watiti, Dr. Charles Olaro, Director Clinical services, Benedicta Nassuna.

The Ex- Officios include; Sarah Zalwango Manager Medical services KCCA, Prof Annette Olivia Nakimuli, Mary Kabugho, Sr Rose Kanturegye

According to Olaro, the Director Clinical Services, revealed that the objective of the hospital was to reduce on referrals abroad and save Ugandans from exorbitant fees in private facilities.

“The facility provides services for those who can pay and those who cannot. Those fees are artificial and can be waived. But let Ugandans go and get treatment,” Olaro said.

It is known that Ugandans seeking services at the facility have to pay between sh50,000 per visit in consultation fee and sh13m for specialised treatment.

The board chairperson promised to embark on ensuring improvement of services and performance of staff.

“We will work and mobilise more resources for the hospital to strengthen the quality of care,” Byaruhanga said.

The hospital has 450 beds, a 41-bed capacity intensive care unit (ICU) with two levels of care, a 60-bed Neonatal Unit with 20 Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) beds and 40 neonatal intensive care (NICU) beds at three levels of care.

The hospital has quality modern medical equipment that includes, among others, critical care equipment in theatres, the adult and also neonatal intensive care units, delivery suites, in-vitro fertilization (IVF) equipment, diagnostic equipment including laboratory and radiological equipment- ultrasound scan, X-ray, mammogram, and medical gases plant.

Some of the specialised treatment expected; include high-risk antenatal care, delivery and postnatal services and gynecology services.

Others include surgical, ureteric re-implantation, complex fistula surgeries and vaginal hysterectomies reconstruction after female genital mutilation.

The facility is expected to reduce maternal mortalities which the ministry confessed remains high at 336/100,000 compared to the global rate of 216/100,000 live births. This is yet to be achieved.