Only 30 percent of labs in Uganda are licensed

By Jacquiline Emodek               
 
KAMPALA - On spot inspection of health facilities in Kampala on Monday produced shocking findings with one busy hospital in the city closed for having unqualified laboratory technicians.

As a result, Kitintale Hospital was closed by Annet Mushabe, the quality assurance officer at the Allied Health professionals' Council.

Kitaintale hospital's laboratory was being run by a laboratory assistant instead of the recommended laboratory technician.

"For a hospital with senior doctors we expect services to be diverse therefore  we need someone qualified to carry out the tests and produce genuine results; however, when you have a laboratory assistant running such a big laboratory you risk having cases of wrong diagnosis," Dr. Christopher Oundo, the Nakawa division medical officer said.

Annet Brendah Mushabe in the labaratory of the Family clinic which was found to be substandard and closed down. The laboratory had a leaking roof and had unqualified personel. PHOTO/Agnes Nantambi                    

He also added that Kitantale hospital had earlier been denied a license for its laboratory because the personnel were under qualified.

According to Mushabe, there are three levels of medical centers and the laboratory assistants only work at level one with supervision while laboratory technicians are required for levels two and three.

Still in Kitintale, the family clinic was closed down after it was discovered that the laboratory assistant had last renewed its practicing license in 2012.

The garbage found outside the Family Clinic in Kitintale is also burnt in the compound without being sorted. PHOTO/Agnes Nantambi

The waste disposal was also a sorry scene with needle caps and blades lying on the floor.

A heap of both infectious and non-infectious garbage gave off a foul smell outside the facility.

Shockingly children were found playing next to a pile of cannulas and syringes oblivious of the dangers the instruments pause to their life.

When Dr. Eriya Faustinus, the owner of the medical center was asked to close it down no one was prepared for his response.

"This is a pathway for people to get to their homes which are behind the clinic," he said.

Mark Obua, the public inspection education officer at Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) explained that medical centers should have proper waste disposal in order to avoid re-infection of patients.

        
The situation at Gemini clinic in Kitintale was not any different as the laboratory also did not have a license.
             
At Naguru hospital, despite the overcrowded corridors, the laboratory was below required standards.
         
"Such a hospital should have laboratories that are 85 by 25 square meters and this hospital has that," Mushabe said.
                       
The operation to crack down on medical laboratories that are not registered due to failure to conform to the minimum standards in Kampala comes after a national sensitization of medical facilities by the ministry of health which lasted from July 2013 to June 2015.
              
Mushabe noted that out of the 2000 registered laboratories in Uganda, only 600 are licensed which affects the quality of health services in Uganda.

"Despite the fact that hospitals have licenses their laboratories are not licensed and I cannot keep quality in facilities that are not recognized," Mushabe said.