Located on Muwanga II Road in Kesenyi, a slam in Kampala, Kisenyi Health Centre IV is nestled adjacent to Tawhid Islamic Nursery. The health facility is bare two kilometers east of Lubiri-Mengo and one kilometer west of Old Kampala Mosque.
Opened in 2014, Kisenyi Health Centre IV is one of the eight health facilities managed by the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA). The eight health facilities serve over 1,200 patients every day. Kisenyi Health Centre IV serves residents of Mengo, Kisenyi, Nankulabye, Katwe and the surrounding areas.
It offers a range of services which include; Ante-Natal care, an HIV Clinic, Out Patients Department (OPD), a dental clinic and a Tuberculosis unit.
Following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, and its subsequent effects coupled with the economic hardships which resulted from the soaring prices of fuels and the raging war between Russia and Ukraine, Kampala city dwellers have been forced to cut back on their consumption and reverting to government health facilities for free medical services.
Since last month, Eagle Online made a deliberate decision to track all hurdles patients go through in pursuit of free health services at the different government-designated hospitals. For the few health facilities that Eagle Online toured, our reporters were irritated by the horrible experiences narrated by patients.
Eagle Online team established that doctors are overwhelmed by the number of patients, and pregnant and postnatal mothers sleeping on the floors of the hospitals, the team also learned of the gripping levels of corruption at Kawempe, Mulago and Naguru Hospitals.
Eagle Online did a spot check on Kisenyi Health Centre IV. The health center is located in Kisenyi off Namirembe road. Arriving at the gate superintended by private security guards, patients are welcomed by dozens of hawkers selling masks. Patients and caregivers from all corners walk through the gate to various clinics for healthcare. Some patients chose to sanitize while others wash their hands at the hand-washing point before accessing the hospital.
On accessing the health facility, you can’t the visitor’s gaze at pregnant women rooming around with one or both of their hands supporting their backs while others loiter with mama kits in their hands. The women reportedly walk around as their time nears for safe delivery and avoid the caesarian section.
Located on the first floor, this reporter visited the maternity ward where it found dozens of mothers waiting to bring lives. Unlike other hospitals Eagle Online Visited, Kisenyi has not overcrowded however the free government health services go for a cost.
In tandem, Eagle Online visited the postnatal ward on level one where the reporter saw atleast four free beds. A postnatal mother who safely delivered on Wednesday, August 31st, 2022 said she paid Shs 100,000 to be attended to.
“I was brought in on Tuesday. The nurses asked for my personal details and they were availed to her. They asked us to show them our Mama kit which my husband did and later asked how much money we have brought them. My husband negotiated with her and paid a tune of Shs 100,000. She initially wanted Shs 150,000 but my husband pleaded with her and she settled for Shs 100, 000,” she said adding, “There are no free services here except consultations,”
Another mother said the nurses are good because they have no fixed amount of money for patients who seek health services. “It depends on your ability to negotiate. We paid Shs 70,000 not because we didn’t have money but my husband negotiated with the nurse who was on duty,” said a mother who delivered on Tuesday, August 30th, 2022.
She said when another nurse reported on duty she was briefed that I had paid some money and I was accorded extra care. She said those who decline or fail to pay to suffer harsh conditions and at times sleep on the floor after delivering babies.
Our reporters later proceeded to the antenatal area, located on the second floor of the facility. They found huge numbers of pregnant mothers being taken through an awareness and sensitization session before seeing gynecologists. Due to the limited space, some mothers attended while standing as a few of them sited on the floor.
At the Outpatient Department (OPD) located on the same floor, the Eagle Online team saw huge numbers of patients waiting to be attended to. Many of them were seen taking their kilograms and height while other agonizing patients looked on. Unlike other health facilities, at Kisenyi Health Center IV every patient is required to buy an exercise book where his personal details and prescribed medicine is written.
Our reporter sought medical services however he was bounced back for not carrying a book with him. “Buy a book or go home because I have nowhere to write your details,” the officer at OPD said adding, “there are prescription forms.”
Our reporter however learned from the visiting patients that that is the culture, castrated his ego, and bought a book at a small shop adjacent to the gate but within the facility. The reporter went through the whole process at OPD and proceeded to Mental Health Clinic for help.
Speaking to one of the caregivers of a patient at the mental clinic, she said they are regular visitors of the facility. “My son is sick, he has a mental problem. We have been coming here since last year and at times he gets better. Gentleman what are you suffering from?” the caregiver asked
To fit in the group the reporter said is suffering from severe headaches and forgetting so easily/ dementia, however, warned him that there are no free drugs at the facility.
To cut the cost of buying drugs, the caregiver urged the reporter to expound on the option of giving a little pay to the nurse/doctor and getting a full dose of drugs. After a long time of waiting, the reporter ditched the plan to see the doctor.
The reporter later camped at the seats just opposite the Mental Clinic (Within the facility) to seek other patients’ experiences with the services offered. A patient who joined our reporter nearly 25 minutes said he chips in at the facility for a checkup after involving in a nasty accident earlier this year.
He said the time he spent in the facility, he didn’t get free medication. He bought everything starting from cotton wool.
“I came here because I can’t afford to pay private doctors. The beauty about this facility is that you get a free checkup and then prescribed that right medicine to take,” he said
The patients decried Nurses’/doctors’ tendencies of delaying attending to them. “You come at 7:00 only to be attended to at 9:30 am at OPD. Buy the time you see a doctor it is already noon,” one of the patients said at OPD
A nurse who declined to be named because she is not the official communications manager said there is no corruption at the health facility and to emphasize that, KCCA mounted Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) all over the hospital.
“We receive medical supplies but because we serve a huge number of patients, within two or fewer weeks you will find that there are no drugs,” she said
Eagle Online contacted the Minister of Health Dr. Jane Aceng and the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Health Dr. Diana Atwine however they didn’t pick up nor return our calls.
