The UPDF engineering brigade has handed over a newly constructed intensive care unit (ICU) ward to Jinja Regional Referral Hospital. This unit, which cost 800 million Shillings, was completed over the course of the last 18 months.
The ICU ward is equipped with 10 beds and six additional high-dependency units, facilitating the seamless management of patients in critical need of healthcare.
Alfred Yayi, the Director of Jinja Regional Referral Hospital, expressed gratitude for the new facility, noting that previously they only had six beds serving as both intensive care and high dependency units. He emphasized that the expanded unit will cater to the healthcare needs of patients in the region.
Yayi revealed that the hospital typically sees an average of 20 patients requiring ICU services each month, many of whom had to be referred to other hospitals due to capacity constraints. He believes that the new unit will provide the necessary capacity to meet the current demands.
Most cases requiring ICU services, according to Yayi, stem from severe acute respiratory distress, severe asthma, organ poisoning, post-surgical complications, accidents, and post-eclampsia, among other conditions. However, he urged the Ministry of Health to prioritize the recruitment of specialized staff essential for handling ICU patients.
“The ICU requires a minimum of 20 staff to fully realize its purpose. Currently, we only have nine staff, and we call upon the Ministry of Health to prioritize the recruitment of additional staff to meet the demands of critical healthcare within the Busoga region and beyond,” Yayi stressed.
He also emphasized the importance of training all hospital staff in critical healthcare to bolster the workforce capable of handling patients in dire need of ICU services.
Rony Bahatungire, the acting commissioner in charge of clinical services, affirmed the Ministry of Health’s commitment to enhancing the staffing structures of critical healthcare providers nationwide to ensure timely access to comprehensive healthcare services within their respective jurisdictions.
Col. Godfrey Tukamwakira, the UPDF’s ICU project manager, acknowledged the challenges faced during the project’s execution, attributing delays to the sensitivity of the project and the necessity for precise installations to ensure the safety of both patients and healthcare providers.
“This project presented unique challenges as it was our first time constructing an ICU. We worked closely with healthcare professionals to ensure everything was done correctly, which inevitably slowed down the project. However, this experience has equipped us to construct similar infrastructure anywhere,” Tukamwakira stated confidently.
He also highlighted the capabilities of the UPDF engineering brigade, boasting a staff capacity of 4,000 individuals capable of handling multiple projects concurrently without delays. Tukamwakira disclosed that they have been assigned 284 government projects worth 340 billion Shillings across the country, with 155 projects already completed and handed over for use, while the remainder are nearing completion.