Margaret Nanyonjo, a 70-year-old woman who had been stranded at Luwero Hospital for weeks, has been joyfully reunited with her family following a successful media appeal.
Nanyonjo’s ordeal began when she was admitted to Luwero Hospital on December 30th, 2023, after being involved in an accident. Despite being discharged later on, she remained at the hospital as she was unable to contact her relatives.
Complicating matters, Nanyonjo lacked a National ID at the time of admission, and her mental state led her to provide multiple addresses, making it challenging for hospital staff to locate her family.
Ronald Ssonko, the Medical Social officer at Luwero Hospital, took to the media on Thursday to appeal for assistance in finding Nanyonjo’s family, citing the hospital’s inability to continue caring for her.
Henry Mutyaba, one of Nanyonjo’s grandsons and a resident of Mukono municipality, shared that she had disappeared from home due to mental illness. The family had been searching for her until they learned of her situation through the media.
Expressing gratitude to Luwero Hospital for their care, Mutyaba revealed that they were unaware of Nanyonjo’s hospitalization until the media appeal.
Nanyonjo’s reunion with her family was met with joy and excitement, although she couldn’t provide details about how she ended up in Luwero from Mukono municipality.
Dr. Bruno Oyik, the Medical Superintendent of Luwero Hospital, noted that after media reports, relatives contacted them to arrange Nanyonjo’s return home. The hospital conducted interviews with the family before facilitating her release on Friday.
While praising the media’s role in reuniting Nanyonjo with her family, Dr. Oyik expressed concern about the growing number of patients abandoned at the hospital. Approximately 20 patients are left at the facility each month, often victims of accidents or referrals from community health centers.
