HOIMA– Leaders in Bunyoro sub region region are excited over the government’s decision to construct a regional blood bank at Hoima Regional Referral Hospital for efficient service delivery.
This follows communication from the Ministry of Finance Planning and Economic Development, indicating that funds worth Sh4.5 billion under the Uganda Intergovernmental Fiscal Transfer [UGIFT] Programme have been availed to finance the construction and equipping of the blood bank at Hoima Regional Referral Hospital.
The Finance Ministry Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury, Ramathan Ggoobi in a letter dated April 28, 2022, and addressed to Hoima regional referral hospital disclosed the good news that will see patients served better as the facility will address the challenge of shortage of blood.
Ggoobi advised the management of the hospital to urgently review its budgets for the financial year 2022/2023 to take into account the additional funds and after submit to the ministry for consideration as part of the corrigenda for 2022/23.
However, this information has lefts several people including the Hoima West Division Member Of Parliament Dr. Joseph Ruyonga excited.
Ruyonga who served as Hoima district health officer said that the construction of the facility in the region is going to save many lives of people who have been dying in different health facilities due to lack of blood.
He noted due to lack of blood Bunyoro region is one of the regions with high maternal mortality rates as mothers suffer from antepartum hemorrhage and postpartum hemorrhage.
He added that victims of accidents and malaria and Sickle cell lives will be saved with the construction of the facility in the region.
He said the construction of the facility would be a greater achievement and commended the government for answering the area leaders’ demands.
“We have been getting blood from Nakasero Blood Bank and Fort Portal hospital but now service will be brought nearer when the facility is constructed and equipped,” he said.
The team leader of Hoima Blood Distribution and Collection Center, Henry Benda said that the construction of the facility is long overdue, though he added that when completed, the facility will end the shortage of blood in the region as it will attract more people to donate blood that will be tested in the same facility.
Previously, he said blood would be collected and transported to Kampala for testing.
He added that when the facility is put in place, they will also be able to get other blood products such as platelets, fresh frozen plasma among others, without going to Kampala.
John Mucuguzi, a resident in Hoima city, was optimistic that the construction of the facility in the region is going to reduce the challenge of accessing blood at the hospital, especially since some medical personnel want money before giving patients the blood for transfusion.
“Whenever a patient requires to be given blood, the health workers claim that the hospital has no blood. They then ask patients for money claiming it is for transport to collect blood in the nearby facilities such as Masindi hospital and Kibonga hospital,” he said.
Hoima hospital serves Hoima Oil City, Kibaale, Kagadi, Kikuube, Kiryandongo, Buliisa, Masindi, Kakuumiro, and Hoima districts as well as plus three districts of Kyankwanzi, Kiboga, and Mubende.
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