SORRY STATE: Netizens Expose Shocking State of Health Facilities, Patients’ Pain in Uganda Health Exhibition

The Uganda Health Exhibition has officially started today, Monday, April 24, 2023, as netizens seek to expose the sorry state of the country’s health sector. An online exhibition, #UgandaHealthExhibition, is being spearheaded by academic and cartoonist Dr Jimmy Spire Ssentongo, the activist behind the recent Kampala Pothole Exhibition.

The Uganda Health Exhibition has shaken officials at Uganda’s Ministry of Health so much that they have tasked the communications department to put together a team to counter what is being exhibited. A counter hashtag, #MoHDelivers, is being popularized by the MoH public relations team and a group of online influencers.

As this Health Ministry team is sharing photos of facilities that have been set up by the government, netizen have been sharing images of the rot that has largely remained concealed. From patients sleeping on the floor, health workers maneuvering their way through patients sleeping on mattresses on the floor, lack of electricity in facilities, to cases of disgruntled health workers, the exhibition is already taking shape.

Here, we capture some of the revelations from the exhibition of the sorry state of Uganda’s health sector:

A doctor negotiating his way through patients on the floor at Mulago National Referral Hospital, Casualty. – Jim Spire Ssentongo @SpireJim

Arua Regional Referral Hospital, Surgical Ward, patients on the floor and some sleeping in the toilet. Pictures taken 2020, Still similar story to date due to high numbers of patients. – Dr Otile Jacob @DrOtileUg

It is 3 years since this tweet, But Our Regional Referrals have never advertised for ICU staff, only Mbale (Out of the 17) has an ICU “room” under construction on top of the surgical complex, Budget not part of what was given to MOH 3. Money fully spent – Dr Otile Jacob @DrOtileUg

This is a 2021 story, but the story hasn’t changed at different government health facilities across the country to date. Two casual labourers helped this mother to deliver after she was chased from the maternity ward. – Kanyomozi District @PatriqKanyomozi

Kawempe hospital maternity ward. – Jeje Odea @joshjeje2

Just last week we visited Omugo, a hospital in Terego District, West Nile that didn’t have power, had a generator without fuel, had surgeons using torches to perform surgeries, and midwives using phone lights to deliver babies. #UgandaHealthExhibition I think we can start here. – Daniel Lutaaya @DanielLutaaya

I think floor cases are the normal in our hospitals #UgandaHealthExhibition – Dr Shamim Nambassa @ShamimNambassa

#UgandaHealthExhibition Mothers sleeping on the verandas due to lack of space at Luwero Hospital. The facility was in 2019 upgraded from a health centre IV. – Herbert Kamoga Reports @kamogah8

Last month, @MinofHealthUG requested for 2.7 billion to supervise works at the ghost (brain dead) LUBOWA HOSPITAL in a supplementary budget. Why – Dr Bireete Sarah @SarahBireete

No health facility in Arua, Terego,Obongi…etc districts from west Nile is connected on the National grid. 13 people died in Zombo Hospital and 5 Covid patients died in Arua hospital in 2021 due to power cuts. – Samwise Gamgee @Sambannz

Watchmen are not just guards,they also play the role of nurses and midwives in the absence of the qualified medical personell,assisting mothers to deliver…. #UgandaHealthExhibition – Kanyomozi District @PatriqKanyomozi

Recent past: Patients lie under a peeling wall at mulago hospital. A body thrown at the gate of a locked mortuary at Gulu referral – KITEZAALA @BareKnuckles

In Buvuma Island, the only available ambulance is stationed at marine base in Entebbe, the patient has to wait for days before clearance is made through the RDC. #UgandaHealthExhibition – KIBUUKA BAMWEYANA @aldrinewills

In Ibanda district, nurses have to send UGX 50k to someone at the district so that their salaries are paid. You pay to get paid. A frustrated health worker slows down the whole system. – Dorah Atwongyeire @DorahAtwong

To exhibit or see more of what is being exhibited, follow #UgandaHealthExhibition on Twitter.

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