Patient attendants forced to clean hospital wards and toilets

Patient attendants forced to clean hospital wards and toilets

Serere, Uganda | URN | Patient attendants at Serere Health Centre IV in Serere district are up in arms with hospital cleaners for forcing them to clean the wards and toilets on their behalf.

Our reporter visited Serere Hospital for at least five days and found patient attendants cleaning the wards and toilets with bare hands. The reporter also saw patients attendants carrying garbage on a wheel borrow to dispose it off.

One of the attendants, who declined to be named, said he has been in and out of Serere hospital since January. He however, explained that whenever his patient is admitted at the facility he has to clean the ward.

“To me it is normal when my patient is admitted. I am always told to clean the ward, which I have done willingly,” he added. Peter Okello, another patient attendant accuses the hospital cleaners of transferring their responsibility of cleaning the wards to them.

Lucy Esapat, a resident of Pingire notes that she was unhappy with the hospital cleaners for forcing patients attendants to clean toilets and wards since they are paid for the work.

Christine Achom, a resident of Kyere notes that each morning the patient attendants are forced to clean the wards before lighting fire to prepare breakfast for patients.

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She says that whenever the cleaners get the wards dirty, they stop the patient attendants from cooking.

Francis Odeke, the Serere District Health Officer, says the patient attendants chew sugarcane and liter the wards. He says it is only fair for them to clean the places they make dirty.

Joseph Opit Okojo, the Serere LC V Chairperson has promised to visit the hospital to ascertain the complaint before commenting on the matter.