SIR — On July 2, you published a story entitled “Mulago Hospital to buy 23 new ambulances”. It was reported that the hospital is training 300 medics, is going to buy four cardiac monitors and four dialysis machines. This was announced by the executive director of Mulago, Dr Edward Ddumba.

This is great news but I am disgusted by the sudden stampede to equip the hospital. The machines will be in the country by September in readiness for no other reason than the CHOGM summit in November.

Are the CHOGM guests who will be here for three days more important than all the Ugandans who die of preventable diseases or for lack of drugs at Mulago? Where has the money suddenly come from to buy the equipment and train the personnel?

As if this attitude is not revolting enough, Ddumba rubs it in by saying: “They will be handling very important guests, not the ordinary clients we receive everyday.”! Ddumba should be told that it is the ‘ordinary clients’ Mulago receives everyday who will pay for the training of the medical staff and the equipment.

I hope the equipment and the skills acquired will still be useful when the ‘very important guests’ leave the country after three days. Maybe the ‘ordinary clients’ will become visible. How wonderful it would be if public officers weighed their words before opening
their mouths!

J. Mbaroraburora
Hoima