Matany Hospital Faces Closure Over UGX 250 Million Debt

Steven Ariong, Karamoja – Tears and panic are currently on the faces of the people of Teso, Lango, Karamoja, and Turkana in Kenya following the crisis hitting Matany Missionary Hospital.

St. Kizito Hospital Matany, located in Napak District and well-known for its quality health services and its wonderful, highly motivated, and dedicated staff, is on the verge of financial collapse.

According to the hospital administrator, Brother Guntha Narich, over several months, the hospital has been trying to send extra appeals to friends and benefactors to prevent this inevitable condition from happening, but there has been no response.

Brother Guntha said that despite experiencing financial challenges, the last half-year reports showed a considerable increase in the utilization of health services at the hospital, both outpatient and inpatient. Equipment, such as the oxygen plant, x-rays, ultrasound, and laboratory machinery, among others, are well functioning and known in the region.

He said surgical services have also increased, as well as obstetric care.

He noted that outreach activities continue to be carried out and the hospital is well appreciated for its ambulance services.

“Rescuing patients from the nearby health centers and homes far away from any health facility is such a vital element of our service delivery, bearing in mind the socioeconomic status of the region,” Narich proudly continued.

He added, “There is no other hospital in the region, maybe even in Uganda, that carries out so many patient rescues as Matany Hospital does. On average, we cover annually well above 85,000 km, which is equivalent to moving twice around the globe.” Analyzing the data in the hospital, it can easily be seen that with this initiative, maternal and perinatal deaths were averted.

This publication learned that the great majority of the patients, mainly from the Karamoja region, cannot afford to pay the exact user fees. Therefore, the charges levied on patients for services provided by Matany Hospital are highly subsidized. Consequently, the hospital has to find other income sources.

Although the hospital receives support under PHC from the Ugandan Government, this only constitutes about 9% of the overall needed funds. The cost recovered from user fees is at 15.4%. In other words, for every UGX 1,000 in the cost of service provided at St. Kizito Hospital Matany, the consumer/patient will on average pay UGX 154 – while GoU/MoH contributes UGX 148 in PHC funds, drug support, and some HR support.

It should also be noted that Matany Hospital generates some other income of UGX 52. The major income comes from health programs supported by partners and donations from overseas, totaling UGX 646.

“As patients contribute only UGX 154 for a cost of service of 1,000, it is easy to recognize that the more patients are seen in the hospital, the more the hospital has to generate funds to keep up the standard of its health services and remain accessible,” said Brother Guntha.

Brother Guntha said, “Unlike private clinics that gain profit from higher patient volumes, St. Kizito Hospital Matany remains committed to its mission of serving the community, a legacy upheld for over 50 years.”

A visit by this publication to the hospital noted that presently, the hospital faces critical shortages, with depleted donations and an empty diesel store posing imminent threats to operations. The lack of diesel jeopardizes emergency generator functionality and ambulance services to hard-to-reach areas.

Above all this, the hospital is currently stuck with a debt of UGX 240 million accrued from pharmacies that supplied drugs.

This publication learned that during a public meeting in Morulinga State Lodge in 2022, President Museveni pledged to support the hospital with a UGX 600 million grant in appreciation of the hospital’s workload, but that pledge has not been fulfilled until now.

This implies thousands will die due to poor access to healthcare should this hospital close down.

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