Gov’t spends Sh3.6m on treatment of one accident patient daily

GOVERNMENT | ACCIDENT | TREATMENT

The government is spending Sh3.6 million on a critically ill accident and emergency patient per day at the Mulago National Referral Hospital.

According to the cost care analysis by the ministry of health, with surgical intervention, the cost rises to Sh 13.6m, which translates to Sh 648m for the care of an average of 180 critically injured patients at the accident and emergency unit at the Mulago National Referral hospital. 

Half of these patients require surgery, raising the total cost to Sh1.548 billion per month. "Annually, the total accident and emergency department requires Sh18.576b for standard care for the critically injured,” Anifa Kawooya, the state minister of health in charge of general duties, said. 

Kawooya, who was in the company of the ministry of health technical people, including Dr. John Baptist Waniaye, the commissioner of emergency medical services, and Eng. George Otim, the commissioner of health infrastructure at the ministry of health, made the remarks yesterday. 

The minister, together with her team, appeared before the House Committee on Physical Infrastructure to brief MPs on the ministry’s perspective regarding road safety. 

The Mulago national referral hospital’s accident and emergency department is the main responsive hospital in Kampala for accident victims. 

In 2020/21 and 2021/22, Mulago hospital admitted 500-600 trauma patients per month, accounting for 45.6% of the admissions in the accident and emergency department. 

“The total admissions into the intensive care unit in 2021 and 2022 were 400." Of these, 139 patients were severe trauma patients. The majority of the victims were males, accounting for 83%, "Kawooya explained." 

The ministry told the legislators that 60% of the daily admissions are neurosurgery patients, of which 90% are Boda Boda victims, and the rest are motor vehicle, falls, and assaults. 

According to Kawooya, 50% of the neuro patients are critically injured, 35% are moderately injured, and 15% are mildly injured. 

Dr. Waniaye told the MPs that there is a need for the government to invest more in emergency care to save the millions of lives of Ugandans that die because of road accidents. 

If you check the mortality rates across, you will find that most people die within 24 hours of arrival at the health facility, but the cause is not just at the health facility, it is across the chain. If you do not give proper care when a vehicle knocks on someone, then you can reach the hospital and only register the death, "Dr. Waniaye said. 

Statistics 

As reported in the annual traffic police reports, Uganda loses over 3,500 people to road crashes every year. In the year 2020 alone, police reported 3,663 fatalities and 8,370 serious injuries due to road crashes. 

Responding to the ministry’s submission, the MPs called for more investment in the health sector and equipment for health facilities, especially emergency centers. 

Ronald Balimwezo (Nakawa East), who lost one of his legs in a road accident around Lugogo bypass in 2000, said emergency response during an accident is key in saving one’s life after an accident. 

“The mode of transport is critical. "A majority of our people don’t die on the spot but die because of trauma, and I want to appreciate the government for thinking about a trauma center, but they should be well equipped with a clear transport system for accident victims,” Balimwezo said. 

David Karubanga (Kigorobya county), the committee chairperson, said road accidents are more dangerous compared to any other disease, thus the need for special attention by the government. 

He said: “We are registering more deaths as a result of accidents in road crushes than even the COVID-19 Pandemic. Just one year; we have lost more than what we lost during the entire pandemic period in the country." 

The legislators implored the ministry of health to sensitize Ugandans about the dangers of accidents through statistics. 

Dr. Michael Bukenya (Bukuya County) said the ministry of health needs to embark on massive sensitization of all road users on the dangers associated with bad usage of roads. 

“Tell Ugandans that every day we are getting 50 people who have had Boda Boda accidents and out of these 50, 30 have died." Out of the remaining 20, ten are going to undergo neurosurgery, and the cost of neurosurgery is Sh20m per person, and out of the remaining 10, they are going to be amputated, "Bukenya said. 

Trauma Center 

Meanwhile, the government has approved the conversion of Naguru National Referral Hospital to Naguru National Trauma Center, to address road traffic injuries, other trauma cases, and common emergencies. 

According to the ministry of health, on average, over 3500 people die due to road traffic accidents in Uganda annually, and an average of 9500 are severely injured annually. 

The MPs suggested that the government procure more ambulances to handle road accident victims and equip police stations, especially those operating on major highways, with ambulances to transport those injured.