Officials at Makerere have finalised plans for the college of Health Sciences (CHS) to take over the full management of the University hospital effective July 1.

Prof Barnabas Nawangwe, the deputy vice chancellor for Finance and Administration, confirmed the development last week while meeting staff at the University hospital.

“We are here to introduce the new arrangement of management of the hospital. The university council decided that Makerere college of Health Sciences should take over the management of the hospital. This is the beginning of the long journey to have a university teaching hospital,” Nawangwe said.

Nawangwe added that all major decisions on the hospital realignment will be taken by the college in consultation with the university management.

According to Prof Charles Ibingira, the principal of the college of Health Sciences, the move to take over the University hospital dates back to 2010. He said he was happy that seven years later, the hospital is finally being handed over to the college, adding that staff will be beefed up with a technical team from the college.

Ibingira said the college of Health Sciences was to tap into its 302-strong academic staff, most of whom are doctors, to improve the standards of the hospital.

He said student doctors will also be sent to work at the university hospital. Ibingira said the college has more than 450 undergraduate and graduate students who will come to work at the university hospital.

Professor David Serwadda, a physician, medical researcher and also a medical administrator in the school of Public Health, is also the chairperson of the taskforce charged with taking over the hospital. He told URN the college of Health Sciences is in a good position of providing
teaching and other health services to the community.

Moving forward, Makerere University will tap into its human resource to cause a realignment of the hospital management. According to Serwadda, the college also plans to turn the hospital into a training and research hub for their medical students, as well as serve the Makerere community and the surrounding communities.

He cited an example of other international universities such as the University of Michigan, whose teaching hospital is one of the best in the United States.

HOPEFUL FUTURE

Currently, the college of Health Sciences depends on Mulago national referral hospital for teaching purposes and with a huge part of the hospital closed for renovation, it makes sense for the college to work out a sustainable arrangement.

The biggest beneficiaries will be University hospital’s numerous clients, who were already largely happy with the facility. At Mulago, the availability of the college’s interns alleviates a lot of patients’ suffering due to lack of doctors. It is hoped the same pattern will be seen at Makerere University hospital.

While the college plans to take over the hospital with its entire staff, Serwadda notes that after evaluation, more staff will be brought in to boost capacity. Currently, according to Dr Margaret Wandera, the University hospital director, the biggest challenge at the hospital is under-staffing and inadequate resources.

According to Dr Wandera, the hospital is supposed to have 74 workers. However, out of the 54 staff currently available, only two are doctors with permanent contracts, supported by three clinical officers and four nurses.

One of the most ailing departments in the hospital is the dental unit. The unit is supposed to be run by two doctors and two dental officers and one chair-side assistant. It is, however, currently run by one dental officer assisted by a cleaner.

BACKGROUND

Before 1972, the university maintained a health post known as Makerere University Students Health Service or sickbay at the current Makerere University police post’s location.

In 1972, when then president Idi Amin expelled Asians, the university acquired the premises formerly known as Nile Nursing Home located on Makerere Hill road, off Gadaffi road, about two kilometres southwest of Mulago national referral hospital.

The university sickbay relocated to the new premises behind present-day Ham Towers. On February 16, 1978, Idi Amin visited the sick bay and elevated it to a hospital status.

According to Makerere University Hospital Situation Report of 2015 conducted by the students’ guild, the hospital as of July 2015 was offering comprehensive health care to the students, staff and their families as well as the surrounding communities, serving a population of about 60,000 people.