Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja has expressed outrage over the appalling conditions at Mukono General Hospital, where women are reportedly giving birth on the floor and patients are forced to sleep outdoors due to overcrowding.
Her visit on Thursday came just days after President Museveni received reports highlighting the hospital’s deteriorating state.
What Nabbanja found was a facility overwhelmed far beyond its capacity.
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Patients were crammed into narrow wards, while others lay on verandas and under trees, clutching newborns.
Among them was Idah Nantale, a new mother who had undergone surgery but was forced to sleep outside for four nights.
“There was no space inside. I had no choice,” Nantale said.
Inside the maternity ward, mothers recounted harrowing stories of delivering on the floor due to a shortage of beds.
Some also reported being charged for nursery services when their babies developed complications.
Hospital administrator Geoffrey Kasirye initially attempted to downplay the concerns, but Nabbanja’s observations confirmed the severity of the crisis.
“What I’ve seen here is heartbreaking,” Nabbanja said.
“This hospital is operating with the capacity of a Health Centre III, yet it is expected to serve the population of an entire district. That is unacceptable.”
She pledged immediate government action, including increased funding, deployment of more medical staff, and infrastructure upgrades to ease congestion.
Later in the day, Nabbanja inspected Kayunga Referral Hospital, where she found significantly better conditions, including functioning oxygen systems and improved critical infrastructure.
