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Dr Diana Atwiine, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, made an unannounced visit to Buhinga Hospital in Fort Portal on Friday following widespread public anger over the death of renowned Tooro musician Moses Kigambo Araali.
During her visit, Atwiine fired the hospital administrator, Dr Alex Adaku, citing negligence and systemic failures that allegedly contributed to Kigambo’s passing.
Atwiine, visibly disheartened, said the musician’s death was a wake-up call for deeper reforms in the hospital’s management.
“We are letting you [Dr Adaku] go today, and we are going to appoint someone else who will be in charge. You should go back to your home in Arua as we clean up this place,” she announced during the meeting with hospital staff.
Negligence Claims Against the Hospital
Kigambo Araali, celebrated for his Rutooro hits such as Kisoma Bwire and Tooro Okasemera, was rushed to Buhinga Hospital late last week in critical condition, requiring urgent surgery for a gastrointestinal complication.
However, reports surfaced alleging that staff delayed attending to him, with some claiming surgical equipment was unavailable.
Further allegations revealed that a doctor prescribed medication over the phone while attending to his private clinic.
Atwiine criticised such practices, stating, “Duo employment has become a habit in government health facilities, and some of you are going to have to pay for this.”
“Our message has been that even if the hospital has no medicine or equipment, you must be around. People will remember you for that because you were available and you tried your best but it was beyond your power,” she added
Hospital’s Response
The hospital administrators denied the allegations of negligence, stating that Kigambo was attended to promptly and that any delays were due to efforts to stabilise his condition before surgery.
Dr Lauben Kyomukama, who handled the case, defended the hospital, saying, “It is true that he needed surgery, but at that moment, stabilisation was the priority.”
Commitment to Reforms
Atwiine declared that Kigambo’s case would be the entry point for broader investigations into the hospital’s operations.
She vowed to address systemic issues and improve service delivery to restore public trust in the facility.