Wakiso district health authorities and the World Health Organisation (WHO) are in frantic moves to immediately identify an alternative care centre for suspected victims of the dreaded Mpox disease after Entebbe Grade B Hospital earlier set aside for the purpose, getting full to capacity.
The two health authorities are now eyeing Buloba Kitawuluzi Health Centre III to examine its viability for serving the purpose; the current situation has reached an alarming state with Entebbe Grade B Hospital registering an average of ten new patients every day.
The Disease Surveillance Officer for Wakiso district, Alex Kakeeto confirmed the report and added that the district is currently looking for a suitable centre which will be serving the district which is among the leading local governments affected by Mpox currently.
Kakeeto says that today, the country has an expected over 1,000 Mpox patients, whereby 300 of them are from Wakiso district. He has highlighted the most affected areas including Entebbe Municipality, Nansana Division and Wakiso sub-county.
“Where we have been referring our patients at Entebbe Grade B Hospital, the place is currently congested given the fact that it is working as the isolation and treatment centre for Mpox for the entire country. We are therefore looking to establish our own isolation and treatment centre for Wakiso as a district which will be also nearer,” he said, adding;
“We are working hand in hand with teams from the World Health Organisation, Ministry of Health and Wakiso district Local Government so that we can come up with an ideal place with suitable designs.”
He therefore said that they had come up with Buloba Health Centre III which is yet to undergo intensive and expedited upgrade to bring it to international standards, to be able to counter the problem and ready for any other eventualities.