Patients stuck as Tororo goes without x-ray specialist
Mar 14, 2011
HE wails in pain as his relatives carry him off a pickup truck. He lies on the floor of the hospital, groaning, gasping and wincing as sweat trickles down his face.<br>
By Moses Nampala
HE wails in pain as his relatives carry him off a pickup truck. He lies on the floor of the hospital, groaning, gasping and wincing as sweat trickles down his face.
Hours ago Owor was riding a bicycle by the roadside when a speeding car bumped into a pothole and veered off the road, ramming into him on the Tororo-Mbale highway.
But there is not much hope. Owor sustained a compound fracture (where a bone is broken and part of it comes through the skin) and has been referred to Mbale Hospital for an X-ray before he can be admitted.
Tororo hospital has a functional X-ray, but for two years, it has not had a technician to operate it.
This is the plight of hundreds of patients with fractures in Tororo. Few can afford to take their patients to Mbale, 48km away. Worse still, the road is eaten up by potholes.
Dr. David Okumu, the Tororo district health officer, admits that the public utility has operated for two years without a radiographer. The previous one retired.
Tororo Hospital is among the few privileged public utilities with a modern X-ray scanner facility. The hospital acquired it when it hosted an HIV pilot project in eastern region undertaken by the Centre for Disease Control.
“Efforts to get a radiographer through the public recruitment system have proved futile. Our earnest appeal goes out to the health ministry to find us a solution,†he says.
Felix Esoku, the Tororo district chief administrative officer, says he has lost count of the number of times they have advertised the post. “We have not received any application,†he says.
According to the National Health Journal, about six to 10 radiographers graduate at a time, but many seek greener pastures abroad.
Dr. David Obonyo, the Tororo Hospital superintendent, says the X-ray issue has paralysed nearly all the departments at the hospital.
“While the orthopaedic department requires X-ray services regularly, patients haunted with ailments of ulcers, kidney among other internal organ complications would require the services, but this cannot be done.â€
Tororo Hospital serves the neighbouring districts including Sironko, Manafa, Bududa, Busia, Butaleja, Budaka and the communities from Kenya.
Andrew Odubi, the Tororo senior orthopaedic surgeon, says on average his department handles between 170 to 200 patients with invariable fractures a month.
Patients with fractures on average must be subjected to an x-ray every after two to three weeks. “Often (in the department that handles a huge influx of people), we have been compelled to treat them on presumption because they cannot afford to go to Mbale.
Although the patients have very often responded to orthopaedic therapy without X-ray services, sometimes recovery drags.
A survey carried out in the eastern region reveals many hospitals may soon face the same problem Tororo Hospital is undergoing because many of their existing radiographers are nearing retirement.
HE wails in pain as his relatives carry him off a pickup truck. He lies on the floor of the hospital, groaning, gasping and wincing as sweat trickles down his face.
Hours ago Owor was riding a bicycle by the roadside when a speeding car bumped into a pothole and veered off the road, ramming into him on the Tororo-Mbale highway.
But there is not much hope. Owor sustained a compound fracture (where a bone is broken and part of it comes through the skin) and has been referred to Mbale Hospital for an X-ray before he can be admitted.
Tororo hospital has a functional X-ray, but for two years, it has not had a technician to operate it.
This is the plight of hundreds of patients with fractures in Tororo. Few can afford to take their patients to Mbale, 48km away. Worse still, the road is eaten up by potholes.
Dr. David Okumu, the Tororo district health officer, admits that the public utility has operated for two years without a radiographer. The previous one retired.
Tororo Hospital is among the few privileged public utilities with a modern X-ray scanner facility. The hospital acquired it when it hosted an HIV pilot project in eastern region undertaken by the Centre for Disease Control.
“Efforts to get a radiographer through the public recruitment system have proved futile. Our earnest appeal goes out to the health ministry to find us a solution,†he says.
Felix Esoku, the Tororo district chief administrative officer, says he has lost count of the number of times they have advertised the post. “We have not received any application,†he says.
According to the National Health Journal, about six to 10 radiographers graduate at a time, but many seek greener pastures abroad.
Dr. David Obonyo, the Tororo Hospital superintendent, says the X-ray issue has paralysed nearly all the departments at the hospital.
“While the orthopaedic department requires X-ray services regularly, patients haunted with ailments of ulcers, kidney among other internal organ complications would require the services, but this cannot be done.â€
Tororo Hospital serves the neighbouring districts including Sironko, Manafa, Bududa, Busia, Butaleja, Budaka and the communities from Kenya.
Andrew Odubi, the Tororo senior orthopaedic surgeon, says on average his department handles between 170 to 200 patients with invariable fractures a month.
Patients with fractures on average must be subjected to an x-ray every after two to three weeks. “Often (in the department that handles a huge influx of people), we have been compelled to treat them on presumption because they cannot afford to go to Mbale.
Although the patients have very often responded to orthopaedic therapy without X-ray services, sometimes recovery drags.
A survey carried out in the eastern region reveals many hospitals may soon face the same problem Tororo Hospital is undergoing because many of their existing radiographers are nearing retirement.