Olive Nigesa
Kampala– Mulago National Referral Hospital is facing a dire patient bed crisis, with sources revealing that the facility has only 1,000 beds, despite having a capacity of 1,600. The intensive care unit (ICU) is particularly strained, with only 42 beds available.
The hospital’s administration is overwhelmed by the influx of patients, with approximately 100 patients seeking medical attention daily. At least 70 receive outpatient care, while 30 are admitted as inpatients. The bed shortage has led to a situation where patients are forced to receive treatment on the floor, with some alleging that those with financial means are prioritized.
“We have not received a bed space since we came to the hospital, and my patient has been receiving treatment on this mat,” said Kyomuhendo Memo, a patient caretaker. “I’ve seen new people come in and receive beds instantly. It’s obvious that money makes the difference.”
The hospital is seeking additional funding to address the crisis. According to Dr. Rosemary Byanyima, the hospital’s Acting Executive Director, Mulago needs over Shs10 billion to fully functionalize its ICUs. The hospital has been allocated Shs 122 billion, but this is inadequate, leaving budget deficits totaling Shs 200 billion.
Byanyima explained that the pediatric ICU has 15 beds, but only five are operational, while the adult ICU has 27 beds, but only 14 are functional. “We admit patients to ICU, which is well-equipped, but there are no consumables; medicines will run out because of the shortages in the budgets,” she added.
Experts advise that Mulago Hospital should consider increasing bed capacity, improving infrastructure, enhancing the healthcare workforce, and streamlining patient flow to improve patient care and reduce the burden on its resources.
The hospital’s challenges are compounded by obsolete medical equipment and concerns over patient fees, with an audit report indicating that Mulago collected Shillings 5.331 billion in revenue in 2022/2023 without providing a breakdown of revenue sources. This lack of transparency has contributed to resource misallocation and poor healthcare delivery.
