Margret Muhanga the State Minister for Health in charge of Primary Healthcare officially opened the renovated Acute care unit at Mulago National Hospital on Tuesday.
This Pediatric unit that was established in 1917 is also part of Mulago Hospital Kampala and it treats over 9,000 acutely ill pediatric patients each year.
Over the years, this unit has had limited updates on it which made the facility completely lack medical equipment.
In early 2023, Hope Ministries & Organizations based in USA, supported the renovation project of this facility which has since made the unit more hygienic, organized and child friendly.
Muhanga who was also officially opening the Mulago hospital surgical camp thanked all service providers including doctors, nurses, laboratory staff and medical students for offering quality and reliable services to their patients.
“I’m glad to be here at the official opening of this surgical camp which is giving service to hundreds of people, I have walked around and observed the services offered, I thank the organizers together with partners for this program that was so much needed by our people,” she noted.
The State Minister also expressed concern on the growing numbers of boda-boda patients at the trauma clinic and she cautioned Ugandans on adopting good road habits.
Muhanga also called upon Ugandans to regularly seek medical attention and not to always wait until its critical because prevention is better and cheaper than cure.
In his remarks, Professor Edward Kanyesigye the board chair of Mulago hospital management decried the increasing consumption of tobacco in the society yet it’s related diseases are one of the leading causes of deaths globally.
“Tobacco smocking has rebranded its self and it has come back to Ugandan pubs as shisha, the rich class is now smoking shisha, we must fight this before the situation worsens,” Edward noted.
On her part, Rosemary Byanyima the acting ED noted that despite the smooth running of this camp, they are lately constrained by the funding after government slashed their budget.
“We really lack funds, our funds for maintenance of equipment have been cut by 1billion we appeal to government to increase the funding, we need more support for Mulago,” she asserted.