By Gloria Nakiyimba
Construction of the state of the art Super Specialized Maternal and Neo-natal facility at Mulago National Referral hospital is complete.
In an exclusive interview, Enock Kusasira Mulago hospital publicist told Capital radio that civil works at the magnificent facility in Kampala are done.
“We are now installing equipment and installing an integrated hospital management system. Every other thing has been done. We are only finalizing with the retaining wall just behind the hospital” said Kusasira.
The new facility will for the first time offer In-vitro Fertilization-IVF services to patients with fertility problems.
“All our staff especially those who will be working in that hospital are receiving refresher training, others went for specialized training in areas of IVF “he revealed.
Kusasira says once opened the 450 bed hospital will become the first public facility to offer IVF services in Uganda.
The state of the art Women specialized hospital will be opened in July this year.
Construction of the hospital has cost 33.3 million US Dollars which government borrowed from the Islamic Development Bank-IDB. The hospital was constructed by the Arab contractors company from Egypt.
No Oxygen shortage
Kusasira noted that the two oxygen plants at the hospital are producing enough oxygen to cater for patients especially babies.
There were reports of shortage of oxygen which was linked to death of many babies at Kawempe hospital. But Mr. Kusasira noted that the reports were false.
“Mulago hospital has enough oxygen and we distribute it to all our campuses; Kawempe and Kiruddu on regular basis.”
The hospital has two oxygen plants. The old one was installed in November 2012 and a new one that was installed early this year
“Both of them are working at full capacity and there is no hitch in as far as the supply of oxygen is concerned” he insisted.
Kusasira also dismissed claims that the hospital is grappling with a shortage of blood.
“ I have no knowledge of blood shortages, we suffered a lot when students were on holiday, but for the last two months there has not been any report of shortage of blood “ he said.
He added that all the theatres at Mulago hospital are working, and all the patients that need transfusion are being transfused and there is no cause for alarm.