Patients Slam Bribery and Neglect at Masaka Regional Referral Hospital

Patients at Masaka Regional Referral Hospital are furious about alleged bribery and negligence by medical staff, with some wishing the same pain on doctors who failed their loved ones.

Nalongo Gaita from Kyotera District shared her heartbreak over losing her eight-month-old daughter a year ago. She rushed the child for oxygen after a clinic visit but found ICU doctors distracted by phones, delaying critical care.

‘I begged for help and scraped together money, but they ignored us. I pray they feel what unconsciousness is like,’ Gaita lamented.

Patients’ spokesperson Swaibu Sulambaya highlighted corruption, saying poor patients face discrimination. CT scans cost Shs120,000 to Shs200,000, unaffordable for many. He recalled Katusiime from Kalangala, discharged after failing to pay Shs400,000 for surgery and dying soon after.

Other grievances include no free food, risking hunger, and breaches of confidentiality. VHT Rashidah Matovu accused staff of gossiping about illnesses after private consultations.

Deputy Mayor Jane Francis Nabukenya urged better diabetes drug supplies, as costs burden patients needing daily doses.

Doctors countered with challenges: Dr. Meddie Nsubuga noted only one ambulance serves 12 districts, sometimes requiring patient fuel. Deputy Director Dr. Mary Nyantaro admitted overload with 350 beds, 280 staff versus needed 1,217 (23% capacity), promising fixes post-new building completion.

These issues arose at a hospital baraza to boost service delivery for over 10 districts.

Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)