The former Presidential Candidate, Dr. Col. Kizza Besigye has said that the defunct cancer radiotherapy machine is the representation of Uganda’s health situation, which he termed as “entirely dead.”
Appearing on a political talk show Forth Estate on Sunday evening, the Forum for Democratic Change party founding father said the breakdown of the only cancer machine at Mulago hospital was not a surprise to him.
Besigye, who is also a trained doctor stated that the challenges in the health care system in the country are deeply rooted from Mulago to the last units of health centers in the remote areas.
“The collapse of that machine was not an astonishing thing to me. The entire health system is dead and what is happening at cancer institute, gives a clear picture of what our health system is,” Dr. Besigye said.
According to the Health Ministry officials, cancer patients in their thousands will have to wait another 2 years or more for the replacement of the machine which also needs construction of a new bunker.
Besigye observed that even the health practitioners in the country lack the minimum required training and environment to be able to administer treatment on patients.
“When you get to any hospital right now you will get a demoralized person and he or she is supposed to help you. It will be two desperate people meeting but not a patient and savior. There is no morale in our hospitals,” he added.
The FDC strong man stressed that the sick who need medical care are the ones expected to carry pens and books for their complaints to be registered since there is none at the hospitals.