Africa-Press – Uganda. The National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) has put the management of Masaka Regional Referral Hospital on notice over accumulated water bills.
According to Mr Charles Tumushime, the Masaka Hospital administrator, the uncleared water bill currently stands at Shs251 million.
“We owe NWSC Shs251 million, which has accumulated in one year. So, we have to wait for a bailout from the government because our budget for water every year is only Shs172m,” he said in an interview on Friday.
He said if NWSC goes ahead and cuts off water at the facility, some departments will be closed.
‘’You cannot limit patients from using water and I think we shall be forced to close some departments to reduce the number of patients if NWSC goes ahead and disconnects us,’’ Mr Tumushime added.
He urged the Ministry of Health to increase their utility budget to avoid cutting off both water and power.
On average, the hospital gets at least 1,800 outpatients and about 360 admissions daily, of which a minimum of 40 expectant mothers deliver every day.
Mr Samuel Apedel, the NWSC spokesperson, allayed fears of the hospital management, saying no further disconnection of health facilities will occur.
“Let them [hospital staff] continue with their work of treating Ugandans, disconnection of public health facilities shall not be done because the Ministry of Finance has promised to make arrangements of settling all outstanding arrears ,” he said.
In April, the management of Masaka Regional Referral Hospital was forced to suspend free meals to most patients, citing inability to meet the expenses amid rising food prices.
The lucky few inpatients currently getting free food include those in psychiatric wards, without caretakers, and those brought in by police.
BACKGROUND
Catalysts
Masaka hospital, which was a treatment centre for syphilis, was elevated to referral level in 1995, taking care of more than two million people from the districts of Masaka, Rakai, Lyantonde, Lwengo, Ssembabule, Bukomansimbi, Kalungu and Kalangala.
Being on the busy Mombasa- ¬ Kampala ¬ Mbarara-Kigali highway, makes it the first point of call for patients, mainly accident victims.
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