Makerere University, the region’s leading research Institute has reportedly finalised plans to establish an intensive care unit (ICU)and oxygen plant at the institution’s hospital to enable staff and the public access alternative services at a cheaper price.
The chairperson of Makerere Research and Innovation Fund (Mak-RIF), Prof William Bazeyo, made the announcement on Friday during the funeral service of Prof Noble Banadda; who’s life was claimed by the deadly virus. Mr Banadda was the university’s head of Department of Agriculture and Bio-systems Engineering.
Prof Bazeyo said the University Hospital will be able to get the facilities in the next three months. Regarding the same issue, the University Secretary, Mr Yusuf Kiranda, said they would turn one of the buildings at the Hospital into an ICU.
Mr Kiranda, however, said they would start with the High Dependence Unit (HDU) because an ICU requires ventilators and special beds, which the institution does not have currently.
“We noted a challenge in a country where our health services were overwhelmed. We have decided to leverage some of our resources to deal with the crisis,” Mr Kiranda said.
“We already have the hospital and a building that is not being used. We just need to turn them around, create rooms for oxygen movement and kick start the treatment,” he added.
The pandemic has tasked the nation’s high ranked institutions to exhibit their potential as far as aiding the community to fight the gruesome virus. Mbarara University of Science and Technology has championed the invention of a Covid-19 herb – Covidex, providing a glimmer of hope to the nation.
