5,000 beds to be setup at Regional Referral Hospitals

In an effort  to contain the second wave of COVID-19 in the country, the Ministry of Health will set up 5,000 patient beds at all Regional Referral Hospitals.

“Over 5,000 patient beds will be deployed to Regional Referral Hospitals to support the ongoing COVID-19 response. Earlier today, the Commissioner in charge of Health Infrastructure, Eng. George Otim inspected the ongoing works at Fabrication Systems and Atami Agencies Ltd,” the Ministry announced on Monday evening.

President Museveni while addressing the nation on June 6, 2021 said that should COVID-19 cases rapidly escalate and overwhelm the current bed capacity, Government would install a 300 bed field hospital per Regional Referral Hospital thus providing an additional 4,500 beds.

Museveni said that there are currently 3,793 hospitals beds available.

Mulago National Referral Hospital has 600 Standard beds, high dependency unit – 300 while ICU are 27.

Mulago Women’s hospital has 60 beds in high dependency unit while Regional Referral Hospitals altogether have 900 standard beds, 115 in high dependency unit and 150 in ICU.

Namboole stadium has 1,300 general beds while Bombo military hospital has 120 standard beds and 10 in ICU.

Seven private facilities accredited have 180 standard beds and 31 in ICU.

“In addition to this, Government continues to mobilize more traditional treatment facilities in form of filed hospitals to provide additional capacity for asymptomatic to mild and moderate cases,” said Museveni.

“In the worst case scenario, should cases rapidly escalate and overwhelm the above bed capacity, Government will install a 300 bed field hospital per Regional Referral Hospital thus providing an additional 4,500 beds,” he added.

Meanwhile, the latest results of COVID-19 tests done on 03 July 2021 confirmed 480 new cases raising the cumulative confirmed cases to 84,116.