Day

BY VANANSIO KAKOGOSO

IN KABALE—-
Health workers at Kabale regional referral hospital are being accused
of soliciting bribes from patients who come for treatment and other
services.

Kabale district chairman Besigye Kaihwa against Kabale hospital’s corruption vice

Patients say that they are forced to pay money without a receipt
before receiving services.  Mostly health workers charge patients who
are to be put on drip, scanning machine and operation. They claim that
they are charged between 50,000 and 200,000 shillings by the medical
workers before attending to them.
Sheik Cassim Kamugisha, one of the concerned residents from Bugongi,
Northern Division Kabale Municipality says that he recently rushed his
sister to the facility but was told to first pay fifty thousand
shillings before being attended to.
Kamugisha says that the patient was neglected until he paid the money
without being given a receipt. Kamugisha says that because the neglect
of his sister resulted into her death. He wants the government to
intervene and stop the vice of extortion among health workers at the
Hospital.

Joshua Kajungu another concerned resident Nyakambu in Kabale
Municipality says that he recently visited the hospital seriously sick
at midday, but was told by one of the health workers that he was not
getting services since he had arrived at midday unless he pays, and he
resorted to go to Rushoroza Health Center IV where he received
treatment.

Posiano Besigye another concerned resident from Muko Sub County in
Rubanda District says that the habit of health workers at Kabale
Regional Referral Hospital soliciting bribes from patients and their
attendants is an order of the day. Besigye says that that many
residents have lost hope in the facility and have resorted to private
clinics

The Kabale District Chairperson Patrick Besigye Keihwa says that
kabale district leadership has reliable information pinning health
workers at the facility to be extorting money from patients before
providing services of drip, scanning machine, accessing beds and
mortuary.
Keihwa says that it is a pity that the medical workers are extorting
money from the patients yet they are duly paid by government. Keihwa
adds that they have already held a meeting with hospital
leadership to see how this vice can be curbed down.

The Kabale Regional Referral Hospital Senior Administrator, David
Tibemanya says hospital administration is aware of the vice and
investigations into the matter are ongoing. Tibemanya urges members of
the public to always report such cases to Hospital administrators so
that necessary action is taken, adding that no one is supposed to pay
for any treatment unless it is in the private wing.

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