Alobo notices that part of the mess at Soroti Regional Referral Hospital was caused by constant absenteeism of senior hospital staff hence patients vulnerably surviving on God’s mercy.
Joan Alobo the Soroti City Woman Member of Parliament holding a demonstration recently at Soroti City.
The Soroti City woman Member of Parliament Joan Alobo Acom aka Arrow girl wants medics in charge of the Oxygen Unit to be prosecuted following the death of 15 patients from Friday to Tuesday morning at Soroti Regional Referral hospital.
In her reaction to the crisis, Alobo associated the death toll to the carelessness of medical staff in charge of the oxygen department who could have earlier noticed the technical challenge at the unit and have it reported to the responsible authorities before such a catastrophe.
On Monday September 10, Tension was all over the arena of Teso Sub – region after the news of doom exploded that a dozen of patients had succumbed to the oxygen crisis at Soroti Regional Referral Hospital.
The eye witnesses narrated that trouble clinched when the vital oxygen machine at Soroti Regional Referral Hospital suffered a critical malfunction, rendering it inoperative.
Soroti hospital does not only serve the immediate community but also two other referral hospitals that include Lira and Moroto.
Members of Parliament spit fire.
The malfunctioning oxygen machine was confirmed by the hospital principal administrator Benzy Omoya. He, however, declined to reveal further how the hospital is managing without this critical equipment.
This incident has captured the attention of top leaders including members of Parliament for Soroti and beyond.
The Soroti city woman legislator Joan Alobo could not control her tears as she blames the hospital administration and medics running the hospital.
She accused the senior medics at hospital for always absconding from duty especially during night time as the medical interns are left fidgeting with patients including emergency cases.
MP Joan Alobo Acom addressing media on the Soroti Regional Referral Hospital crisis.
“I have already been informed about the frequent absconment of staff from duty, a matter that has always left patients in the mercy of God,” she spoke while weeping.
Adding: “I want police to critically investigate into this matter and those medics who absconded their duty must be held accountable.”
Alobo also blamed the ministry of health for poorly monitoring and giving less attention to Soroti Regional Referral Hospital ever since they have been raising many issues about the facility at Parliament.
“We have kept raising many concerns about the crisis at Soroti Regional Referral Hospital in the plenary, but government thinks that we are just noise makers who are opposition minded. It should be put on record that president Museveni and his ministers don’t care anymore about the poor citizens, they only care about their son Muhoozi becoming a president,” the roaring Alobo said.
On Tuesday morning, Soroti City MP Jonathan Ebwalu said he was aware of the situation but had been informed that the number of patients who died were less.
Unfortunately, this is not the only challenge the hospital is struggling to handle. The hospital continues to operate despite inadequate power supply, medical equipment among others.
Within children’s ward at Soroti Regional Referral Hospital, chaotic scenarios unfold on daily basis. Here, patients find themselves in an unusual circumstance, navigating the challenges of congestion with darkness and the spirit of endurance.
Patients and their caregivers find themselves operating in near-darkness.
“We have adopted the use of touch-sensitive devices, such as mobile phones and led torches, as our sources of light in this ward”, one of the patients told this news outlet.