Summary:

• The Tororo Deputy Resident District Commissioner has ordered an investigation into the deaths of two infants in Tororo General Referral Hospital’s Neonatal Unit, citing neglect by medical workers, prompting concerns about the hospital’s service quality and staff shortage.

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The Tororo Deputy Resident District Commissioner (RDC) has mandated an inquiry following the tragic deaths of two infants under uncertain circumstances in the Neonatal Unit at Tororo General Referral Hospital.

Albert Amula, who led a delegation of district leaders to the government hospital on Wednesday morning, was dismayed to discover that the daytime fatalities occurred due to medical personnel neglecting their duties.

Expressing sorrow over the incident, Amula noted, “We are disheartened by this occurrence because this is the primary government hospital where people anticipate receiving top-notch services. This disgrace might deter patients from choosing this facility for safe deliveries.”

Preliminary investigations suggest that the infants succumbed to suffocation in the presence of their parents, with no health worker on duty. Insiders at the hospital claim that the absence of a staff member compelled the babies to remain on oxygen throughout the day, as the night shift nurse left assuming her colleague would take over.

An anonymous parent, recounting the heartbreaking experience, revealed, “I believe my baby could have survived if I had chosen another place for delivery. We pray that the government intervenes to ensure the safety of deliveries at this facility.”

A whistleblower accused hospital staff of abandoning their responsibilities during the festive season, stating, “During the daytime, most medical workers mysteriously disappear, leaving patients in the care of interns and volunteer nurses.”

Noah Ukumu, Tororo District’s education and health secretary, questioned the integrity of the officer scheduled to be on duty and lamented the loss of lives at the hospital.

Tororo Hospital’s medical superintendent, Dr. Thomas Ochar, apologized for the tragic deaths on Wednesday and pledged an audit into the incidents. However, he urgently called on the government to address the staff shortage at the hospital, revealing, “The maternity wing, housing the Neonatal Unit, has only 7 nurses. On the day of the incident, 2 were on annual leave, one was sick, and the one scheduled for duty did not show up.”

Dr. Ochar emphasized the constitutional right of patients to access health services but pointed out the staffing challenges faced by the Neonatal Unit, appealing for swift intervention to alleviate the situation.