Two patients die at Rukoki Health Center over medics’ negligence
She stressed that no one should extort money from patients at the facility since the government provides medical supplies to the facility and pays the health workers.
By Obed Kithende
Kasese: Police in Rwenzori East Region in Kasese District have launched investigations into health workers at Rukoki Health Center IV.
This follows the deaths of two patients, one of whom passed away this morning (Friday) and another yesterday, over alleged medics’ negligence of duty.
Amos Kule, 30, a resident of Bunyaruguru-Katerera Sub County in Rubirizi district, died this morning after failing to get a health worker to attend to him.
According to Mrs. Alice Muhindo Rwabiswa, a resident of Kogere cell in Nyamwamba Division, Kasese Municipality, the 30-year-old man who was battling with yellow fever passed on since there was no medic to attend to him.
Muhindo accused the health workers at the facility, who were supposed to be on night duty, of failing to report for work. ‘’Kule died because the health workers who were supposed to report for night duty didn’t show up, and there was no one to attend to him,’’ she said.
She also revealed that a 3-year-old baby also died yesterday at the same facility due to some conditions not being attended to by the health workers since they had also not reported for night duty.
Following today’s incident, this forced residents to storm the office of the district chairperson to launch their complaints of workers reporting late for work, others absconding duty, and extorting money from patients in order to get services, yet it’s a government hospital.
The Kasese Municipal Health Inspector, Dr. Joy Muhindo, who rushed to the health facility, condemned the acts of workers reporting late for work, absconding duty, and extorting money from patients in order to get services at the government health center.
She stressed that no one should extort money from patients at the facility since the government provides medical supplies to the facility and pays the health workers.
‘’No one should extort money from patients at the facility because the government provides medical supplies to the facility and pays the health workers,’’ Muhindo added.
The Kasese district LCV chairperson, Mr. Eriphazi Muhindi, who sympathized with the brave families at the facility, said that it’s a regrettable moment and noted that complaints from the community about health workers misconduct at the facility had been reported early at his office.
”It’s a very sad moment that we have lost innocent souls due to the health workers’ negligence. This is not the first time to receive complaints from patients of being extorted; we are going to follow up on this issue,’’ he said.
The Acting Public Relations Officer for Rwenzori East Region, SP Luke Mbusa, says they have launched investigations about the matter, and whoever is found guilty will face the courts of law.
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