Quacks man city clinics, says ministry
Mar 10, 2010
MANY unqualified people are operating private health centres in Kawempe and Rubaga division in Kampala, health ministry officials have said.
By Herbert Ssempogo
MANY unqualified people are operating private health centres in Kawempe and Rubaga division in Kampala, health ministry officials have said.
John Ndiku, the Uganda Medical and Dental Practitioners Council registrar, said nursing assistants and enrolled nurses were in charge of such places.
The anomaly, he said, contravened the health sector regulations.
“The implication of this is that they give so many types of drugs for one condition, hoping that one of them will cure a patient’s ailment. It is guesswork,†Ndiku said at the ministry head office in Kampala.
His disclosure followed an impromptu three-day inspection of clinics in Kawempe and Rubaga last week. A team of 12 experts conducted the exercise.
Ndiku said in Bwaise, the team found a woman who posed as a nurse but had never undergone any training.
The woman, Jessica Kateme, who was detained at Kawempe Police Station, operated Guardian Medicare.
“She could not identify which school she went to. In order to safeguard the lives of the people, we asked the Police to take care of her,†Ndiku stated.
The team observed that the work environment of most of the centres was inadequate, with many comprising only one or two rooms.
“Staff cannot conveniently move from one place to another while attending to patients. There is also lack of privacy for the patients,†Ndiku said.
Another anomaly was poor record-keeping despite the constant reminders, he added.
During the three days, it also emerged that several clinics were not licensed, while others had expired licences.
A comprehensive report of the team’s findings will be issued soon, he announced.
MANY unqualified people are operating private health centres in Kawempe and Rubaga division in Kampala, health ministry officials have said.
John Ndiku, the Uganda Medical and Dental Practitioners Council registrar, said nursing assistants and enrolled nurses were in charge of such places.
The anomaly, he said, contravened the health sector regulations.
“The implication of this is that they give so many types of drugs for one condition, hoping that one of them will cure a patient’s ailment. It is guesswork,†Ndiku said at the ministry head office in Kampala.
His disclosure followed an impromptu three-day inspection of clinics in Kawempe and Rubaga last week. A team of 12 experts conducted the exercise.
Ndiku said in Bwaise, the team found a woman who posed as a nurse but had never undergone any training.
The woman, Jessica Kateme, who was detained at Kawempe Police Station, operated Guardian Medicare.
“She could not identify which school she went to. In order to safeguard the lives of the people, we asked the Police to take care of her,†Ndiku stated.
The team observed that the work environment of most of the centres was inadequate, with many comprising only one or two rooms.
“Staff cannot conveniently move from one place to another while attending to patients. There is also lack of privacy for the patients,†Ndiku said.
Another anomaly was poor record-keeping despite the constant reminders, he added.
During the three days, it also emerged that several clinics were not licensed, while others had expired licences.
A comprehensive report of the team’s findings will be issued soon, he announced.