Summary:
- Katakwi General Hospital was established in 1956 as a dispensary and later became a Health Centre IV. It was upgraded to hospital status in 2011. Despite the upgrade, infrastructure and human resource challenges remain significant.
KATAKWI: Stanbic Bank has made a significant contribution to maternal health care by donating essential medical equipment to Katakwi General Hospital in Katakwi District. The donation includes a baby warmer, two delivery beds, an incubator, Mama Kits, and a patient monitoring system for both emergency and routine care.
Mrs. Diana Odonga, Stanbic’s Manager of Social Corporate Investment, officially handed over the equipment last week on Friday, October 11, 2024. She revealed that the bank has supported over 45 health facilities nationwide and invested more than 2 billion shillings in initiatives aimed at reducing maternal mortality.
“This donation to Katakwi General Hospital is part of our ongoing effort to improve maternity care,” Odonga said. She emphasized that October, which Stanbic Bank celebrates as “Love Month” with its clients, is a time to focus on health, particularly because Uganda loses 189 mothers for every 1,000 live births.
Dr. Joseph Emuron, Medical Superintendent at Katakwi General Hospital, welcomed the donation, highlighting that the hospital has long struggled with a shortage of baby warmers. He noted that many premature babies weighing between 1 and 1.5 kilograms have had to be referred to Soroti Regional Referral Hospital due to the lack of functional baby warmers in the district. He added that the only available machine has a mechanical fault.
“With this donation, we expect fewer referrals and can conserve critical resources, particularly fuel. Each referral requires 20 liters of fuel, and now that can be used to save other lives in the community,” Dr. Emuron said.
Katakwi General Hospital was established in 1956 as a dispensary and later became a Health Centre IV. It was upgraded to hospital status in 2011. Despite the upgrade, infrastructure and human resource challenges remain significant. According to the 2014 census, the hospital served 1,064 patients, a figure that has now risen to 2,013.
The hospital handles around 4,500 outpatients per month, admits 400 maternity patients, and assists in the delivery of 250 mothers.
Angela Akengo, the Secretary for Health in Katakwi, noted that the donation would reduce the need for residents to travel to Soroti for specialized neonatal care, saving them money and time. Paul Walkiria, the Chief Administrative Officer for Katakwi, echoed her sentiments, praising Stanbic for its role in reducing neonatal mortality and improving health service delivery.
Rtd. Maj. Godfrey Katamba, Resident District Commissioner of Katakwi, congratulated Stanbic for aligning with the government’s agenda on improving healthcare, particularly in maternal and neonatal care.
Bosco Okiror, the Member of Parliament for Usuk County, thanked Stanbic Bank for taking its corporate social responsibility seriously, contrasting its efforts with those of other stakeholders who have neglected similar responsibilities.
The Vice President of Uganda and Woman MP for Katakwi District, Rtd. Maj. Jessica Rose Alupo Epel, attended the event as the chief guest. She expressed her appreciation for Stanbic Bank’s contribution to the country’s social and economic development, particularly in the health sector.
Alupo emphasized that the donated equipment would play a key role in addressing maternal health challenges and saving the lives of both mothers and newborns. She also lauded the bank for its consistent support in critical areas such as maternal health care, environment, and education.
The Vice President urged all stakeholders to collaborate to improve healthcare services, while also warning medical and technical staff to fight corruption, ensuring that resources reach the intended recipients and programs.
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