One dead, 86 displaced as flash floods devastate Kilembe Mines hospital

Brian Masereka, 17, a resident of Kyarumba sub county, Kasese district, breathed his last at Kilembe Catholic Church, to where he and dozens of other patients had been evacuated after Kilembe Mines hospital was devastated by flash floods late last week.

Masereka, who had been hooked to a life support machine, was evacuated to the church after the hospital’s electricity support was cut off by floods that burst Nyamwamba River’s banks, washed away a significant section of the hospital and left more than 80 patients stranded.

According to the hospital’s Administrator, Onesmus B. Kibaya, the hospital had 87 patients at the time, about half of them in critical condition.

“We managed to rescue all 87 of our patients, but 45 of them were in critical condition and many were on life support machine,” Kibaya said.

He noted that the whole hospital has been destroyed saying that mortuary, medicine store, Tooto and F and G private wards have been levelled.

It is not the first time that Kilembe Mines Hospital has been devastated by floods.

“On May 1, 2013, we had a similar incident: the hospital and staff quarters were washed away, and the hospital was closed for three months,” Kibaya narrated.

However, this time the damage is more extensive, he added.

“This one is worse than what we experienced in 2013. We have lost the mortuary, medical stores, Tooto Ward and private ward. The generator house is submerged, all the electric poles are down and the administration block is flooded,” Kibaya said.

The hospital’s Medical Superintendent Dr. Edward Wefula, declined to comment, saying:

“I am not able to talk to you now. The stress I have is enough for me per now.”

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