Paschal B. Bagonza
April 19, 2013
Jinja Hospital situated in the Eastern region of Uganda has commissioned a water project worth 360 million Ugandans shillings.
The tanks consist of a central water reservoir of 100, 000 litres and two overhead water tanks of 24, 000 litres each.
This facility will give the hospital a combined water storage capacity of 150, 000 litres in three reserve tanks.
Uganda Breweries Ltd donated the water storage tanks to the hospital. It is part of the company’s Water of Life Programme. The company wants to be counted as having made tangible contributions to the MDG7 target of reducing by half the proportion of people in Africa without access to water and adequate sanitation.
Since 2011, UBL has so far provided clean water to more than 300, 000 people across the country.
The hospital Medical Director Dr Michael Osinde says the donation will help them serve the many patients in a more sanitized environment.
“As you are aware, water is a major factor in ensuring good hygiene, which in turn ensures better health overall. This increased water capacity means a lot to us because it enables us to serve our large number of patients in a cleaner environment,” Dr Osinde says.
Dr Osinde also says that the donation will enable save a lot on utility bills, which can be crippling to institutions like Jinja Hospital.
Jinja Hospital is the largest hospital in eastern Uganda and has a bed capacity of 600 patients.
The hospital, one of the 13, serves as a regional referral hospital in Uganda.
The new water facility will benefit over 360,000 people including patients and health workers on site.
Dr Osinde adds that this intervention with regard to water storage is certainly very welcome and useful.
In 2011, the hospital put up ordinances to promote hygiene and decongest the hospital wards
After many patients had put unbearable pressure on the bathroom and toilet facilities.
