Derrick Omoding
Soroti: Staff at Soroti Regional Referral have cherished efforts by the former aspirant for Member of Parliament Soroti City West Division, Calvin Echodu towards the stabilization of the Oxygen unit in the hospital.
The medics serving in the department now report that the unit operations have smoothly stabilized after Echodu gave a hand in fully repairing the machine that broke down a few months back.
Dr. Wilson Etolu a physician in charge of the unit disclosed that they had faced a tough challenge when the oxygen machine malfunctioned in September 2023 causing a crisis.
By the 12th September 2023, reports emerged that at least 12 people were feared dead at the facility due to the breakdown of the oxygen machine.
The ordeal according to sources began when the vital oxygen machine at Soroti Regional Referral Hospital suffered a critical malfunction, rendering it inoperative.
The situation of the malfunctioning oxygen machine was confirmed by the hospital however, this plunged the entire region into mourning while the Soroti City West Division legislator Jonathan Ebwalu attempted to interfere the hospital operations by locking the hospital administrative offices in protest.
Echodu in his ideology challenged his opponent Ebwalu by repairing the oxygen unit other than causing scenes for patients in the name of protest.
Etolu further said that a team of professional Engineers from Kampala was fully facilitated by Calvin Echodu to dismantle the whole machine and lifted it to Kampala for rehabilitation and was brought back a few days after it was fully repaired.
Speaking in a phone call with this website, “I cannot exactly specify on the amount of money spent by Calvin, but what I know that it is quiet huge amount.” Said Etonu
When approached for a comment, Echodu raised a series of concerns about the health services in the region considering the fact that Soroti Regional Referral Hospital is a tower of health services across the region.
He also asked both the grassroot and top leaders to employ formidable approaches in resolving such types of crisis.
Photo: Calvin Echodu, former aspirant for Soroti City west Division.
“Demonstrating in the hospital premises by locking administrative offices can never be effective because it may cause disturbance amd more pain among patients hence more problems, besides according to information i have government is much aware of this pressing needs in the facility and working towards addressing them, except I know that the bureaucratic processes in government which even this leaders know may cause delay.” he said.
Adding, “The health of our people remains my concern as well and that is why I decided to respond by repairing the oxygen unit among other interventions.”
Soroti hospital not only serves the immediate community but also two other referral hospitals, namely Lira and Moroto.