KARONGI — Doctors based at Kibuye Hospital in Karongi District, have threatened to go on strike over poor working conditions and alleged mismanagement of hospital funds. The doctors who talked to The New Times last week complained of inadequate housing and medical equipment. The three staff houses meant for them are occupied by other people and the available hospital equipment is not fully functional, making their work more difficult, they said. “One can go for an operation and you find there are no lights or oxygen reservoirs. Once you start sharing such equipment among patients this even spreads diseases,” said one doctor who preferred not to be named. The doctor added that night duties are even worse because laboratory technicians are never available to provide results of recommended lab tests. The angry health practitioners vowed to quit if their grievances are not addressed. It also emerged that a donation of Rfw250m meant to expand the hospital was approved by the government but work is yet to be started. Some doctors alleged that policies of the Ministry of Health are not fully implemented. “The ministry demands that any regional hospital sends doctors to supervise health centres in that region but this is not the case here.” “The director had assigned two doctors with that responsibility but they have since left and no replacements have been made,” a doctor said. Efforts to talk to hospital director, Doctor Cyrille Dusengamungu, for an explanation were futile as his phone was off by press time. Ends
