Woman Member of Parliament Donates Oxygen Cylinders to Iganga Hospital

There was excitement as the Woman Member of Parliament Iganga,  Sauda Alibawo donated oxygen cylinders, sanitizers, face masks to Iganga main hospital yesterday.

The donation comes at a time when the hospital was in a crisis due to
lack of oxygen for COVID 19 patients in the intensive care unit a movebthat has caused loss of lives.

While handing over the items, Sauda Alibawo said she decided to use part of her salary to buy personal protective equipments for health personnel and oxygen cylinders for critically ill COVID 19 patients following an outcry from members of the public.

“People have been calling me since the second wave of the pandemic
started saying they are dying due to lack of oxygen,”she said.Alibawo said Iganga main hospital due to its location along the main
highway accommodates a huge number of patients from the neighboring districts of Kaliro, Luuka, Bugiri and Namutumba but receives less funding from the central  government to buy all the necessities to cope with the demand.She urged members of the public to observe the social operating
procedures like observing social distances besides wearing face masks to avoid contracting COVID 19 virus.

“The oxygen i have donated today might not be there when you contract the disease which might cost your life in the process,”she said.The  LC 5 chairman Iganga, Ezera  Gabula urged government to consider increasing on the number of health personnel at Iganga main hospital to cater for the increasing number of COVID 19 patients.

Iganga main hospital administrator, Doctor Stephen Waako said majority of COVID 19 patients in critical condition end up being referred to Jinja referral hospital due to lack of oxygen.

He said previously before COVID 19 pandemic, the hospital used only
three cylinders for premature babies but now seeks over 20 cylinders daily to cater for patients in the intensive care unit.

Waako said 2 COVID 19 patients have died recently as a result of lack of oxygen in the facility.

The donation included 30 oxygen cylinders,10 boxes of face masks,10 boxes of sanitizer, 30 jerry cans of liquid soap, sprayers and other hand washing equipments.