By Bondry Kilenga
A group of volunteers at Kotido General Hospital have laid down their tools in protest after failing to make it onto the list of successfully recruited personnel.
The volunteers, some of whom claim to have offered services to patients for more than 20 years are unhappy with the recruitment process, alleging that the District Service Commission favored other candidates who were not volunteering on political grounds.
The volunteer’s action has caused significant disruptions to hospital services, with patients experiencing delays in accessing medical care.
A spot visit by our reporter at the hospital yesterday revealed that the Outpatient Department (OPD) was the most affected unit, with over 100 patients crowded in the unit waiting to be attended by health workers in vain.
Some patients were forced to abandon their medication and opt to buy drugs from clinics in town due to the long queues.
Josephine Dengel, a mother from Kotiang parish, Rengen Sub County, brought her son to seek medical attention but resorted to seeking services from a clinic.
She told our reporter that she couldn’t wait for the long lines because she needed to get back home to handle some emergencies.
The reporter’s desperate bid to get patients speak on record flopped hard as nobody wanted their gripes on record.
Dr. Cerino Achar, the Kotido District Health Officer (DHO) in a message shared on the Kotido District stakeholder’s WhatsApp platform, urged local leaders and authorities to offer counseling services to those who missed out on the recruitment exercise.
Paul Komol Lotee, the Kotido District LC 5 chairperson, called for patience from the volunteers, adding that there are more vacancies coming up and they will be slotted in where necessary.
