Mulago spinal ward to get facelift
Sep 07, 2018
The spinal ward, the only one of its kind in Uganda, was established in 2009 and handles all spine-related illnesses like surgeries and infections in the country.
The spinal ward at Mulago National referral hospital is to be fully renovated, courtesy of the Rotary Club of Kampala Metropolitan.
The spinal ward, the only one of its kind in Uganda, was established in 2009 and handles all spine-related illnesses like surgeries and infections in the country.
According to Dr. Norbert Orwotho, the in-charge of the spine unit, the hospital admits between 600 and 700 patients annually and about 300 patients are operated on annually.
Orwotho explains that the victims of spine-related injuries are majorly accident victims who end up paralysed, patients with infections like bacteria and tuberculosis of the spine, children with congenital abnormalities (children born with deformities) and senior citizens who have developed generative spine conditions.
However, Orwotho adds that the building that houses the ward has undergone wear and tear having been built in 1932 to initially handle polio patients that were rampant then but following near extinction of polio; the building was turned into a spinal ward in 2009.
According to Ronald Mulindwa, the president-elect of the Rotary Club of Kampala Metropolitan, the entire ward will be renovated and new separate toilets constructed to accommodate both male and female patients.
Initially, the ward's toilets were shared by both males and female patients.
"Works that are expected to take up to about two months shall cost sh46m. About half of that amount has been raised," Mulindwa said.
Orwotho explained that the biggest challenge is rehabilitation of the patients following accidents or infections.
"They need to be integrated into life again. We need to have a rehabilitation facility attached to this unit," Orwotho said. He, however noted that as a club, they are considering going beyond just renovation but constructing a rehabilitation centre, a capacity training organisation as well as identifying and sponsoring Ugandan doctors for specialised trainings.
Dr Byarugaba Baterana, the executive director of Mulago hospital applauded the Club saying Government cannot do everything that patients need to the dot during treatment."Therefore, it is incumbent on us to contribute to health services. When patients come to hospitals, they expect to find a good health worker who can give them a service and a good theatre where they can have surgeries from (in the case of the orthopaedic unit)," he said.
"Patients are currently crowded because they are not being given quick adequate services that can enable them leave for their homes shortly," Baterana said.
He attributed the current backlog of patients to the the ongoing renovations at the hospital, an exercise that is expected to continue up to the end of this year.
Emmanuel Katongole, the executive chairman of Cipla Quality Chemicals also applauded the Club for working in partnerships with other organisations to make the world a better place to live in.