Mulago sets up cholera centre
Dec 10, 2006
MULAGO Hospital has opened up a special cholera treatment centre to contain the overwhelming number of patients flocking to the hospital.
By Chris Kiwawulo
and Tony Barigye
MULAGO Hospital has opened up a special cholera treatment centre to contain the overwhelming number of patients flocking to the hospital.
Hospital spokesperson Eliphaz Ssekabira yesterday said cholera cases had increased tremendously, forcing the intervention.
Dr. Beterana Byarugaba, the cholera ward clinical head, said they had treated 305 patients since the epidemic broke out recently. The hospital registers 15 to 20 cases daily. There were 288 cases by Tuesday.
Ssekabira said the special centre can accommodate over 50 patients at once. “We shall not allow caretakers to stay in the centre. Only doctors will be allowed in,†he said.
Hospital staff transferred the 40 patients who had been admitted to Ward 4A to the special centre on Wednesday. By noon yesterday, the centre had admitted four new cases.
Forty-two patients have so far been discharged, while three have died since the epidemic broke out in Kampala early last month, Byarugaba said.
On average, quick recovery of a patient requires about 15 bottles of intravenous fluids, he added.
Ssekabira said they transferred the 40 patients because of the highly contagious nature of the disease. Ward 4A had also become congested and some patients were sleeping on the ground.
The centre was put up to supplement the Kawaala cholera centre, which has also been overwhelmed by cholera cases. Over 150 cases have been reported at Kawaala health centre.
“All patients in Ward 4A have been brought here and we are no longer sending patients to Kawaala health centre,†said Melanie Mutabazi, a nurse at Mulago.
and Tony Barigye
MULAGO Hospital has opened up a special cholera treatment centre to contain the overwhelming number of patients flocking to the hospital.
Hospital spokesperson Eliphaz Ssekabira yesterday said cholera cases had increased tremendously, forcing the intervention.
Dr. Beterana Byarugaba, the cholera ward clinical head, said they had treated 305 patients since the epidemic broke out recently. The hospital registers 15 to 20 cases daily. There were 288 cases by Tuesday.
Ssekabira said the special centre can accommodate over 50 patients at once. “We shall not allow caretakers to stay in the centre. Only doctors will be allowed in,†he said.
Hospital staff transferred the 40 patients who had been admitted to Ward 4A to the special centre on Wednesday. By noon yesterday, the centre had admitted four new cases.
Forty-two patients have so far been discharged, while three have died since the epidemic broke out in Kampala early last month, Byarugaba said.
On average, quick recovery of a patient requires about 15 bottles of intravenous fluids, he added.
Ssekabira said they transferred the 40 patients because of the highly contagious nature of the disease. Ward 4A had also become congested and some patients were sleeping on the ground.
The centre was put up to supplement the Kawaala cholera centre, which has also been overwhelmed by cholera cases. Over 150 cases have been reported at Kawaala health centre.
“All patients in Ward 4A have been brought here and we are no longer sending patients to Kawaala health centre,†said Melanie Mutabazi, a nurse at Mulago.