ADDIS ABABA – Gondar University Specialized General Hospital disclosed that it is experiencing shortage of finance and human resource to address the increasing number of patients in the city.
Hospital Chief Executive Director Dr. Ashenafi Tazebew told The Ethiopian Herald recently that the hospital hosts a high number of patients (250 within hours) in terms of traumatic emergency sense following the Timket incident.
There is also shortage of finance and inputs. The hospital has allocated 54 million Birr for pharmaceuticals this budget year. However, the annual cost of the hospital for drugs is estimated to be about 100 million Birr. The pharmaceutical spending of the hospital has been so far covered by the government budget and revenue from patients.
Shortage of finance and national macro-economic instability hinders the hospital from providing the desired treatment to the city residents. Even, some of its expansion projects faced steady progress for financial crisis both from the hospital and the contractor.
Increasing number of beds for surgery and obstetric medication of pediatrics and other patients is the objective of the expansion.One of the projects is at final stage which is possible to conduct finishing while undertaking treatment there.
However, the second project is already stopped and the hospital is finding ways to revoke the license from the contract from MEDROC. Currently, the hospital has about 1.200 human resource while the city population is estimated to be 500, 000 to 700,000. The hospital also treats 450, 000 patients each year.
The Ethiopian Herald, February 4/2020
BY YOHANES JEMANEH
