Iganga hospital runs out gloves forcing patients to buy their own

Iganga Hospital has not had surgical gloves for the last three months since the last consignment from the National Medical Stores-NMS run out in October, URN has learnt.

As a result, patients admitted at Iganga Hospital have to buy gloves from the nearby pharmacies or drugs shops if health workers have to attend to them. Surgical Gloves are vital for protecting both medical workers and patients from infections.

Charles Okello, an attendant to one of the patients at Iganga Hospital, told URN that they buy gloves each time a medic attends to his patient. "A single pair of gloves on the open market costs between Shillings 3000 and 5000," he said.

Mariam Kagoya, an expectant mother who our reporter found at the hospital, said she told to buy gloves outside the hospital.

Dr. Constantine Ochwo, a medic at the hospital says it is a pity that patients who cannot afford buying gloves are not treated. According to Ochwo, medics can't treat patients without gloves for fear of catching infection.

Dr. James Waako, the Medical Superintendent Iganga Hospital acknowledges the challenge, which he attributes on the overwhelming number of patients the hospital attends to.

According to Waako, they receive more than 500 patients each day. He says most of the medical supplies they receive from the National Medical Stores are consumed in less than two weeks yet supply is made after every two months.

Dr. Waako, however, notes that the hospital has made an emergency order for fresh supplies from NMS.

-URN