NTUNGAMO – A dispenser at Ntungamo Health Centre IV is facing possible disciplinary action following allegations that she denied patients medication and exhibited misconduct at the workplace.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The incident reportedly occurred yesterday when several patients who had been examined and referred to the dispensing unit were allegedly turned away by Nurse Atwongire Shakira, who said it was time for lunch.
According to the patients, even after returning at around 2 p.m., Atwongire did not attend to them. Frustrated, they raised an alarm and sought intervention from the facility’s in-charge.
However, the dispensing room was later reportedly locked, with the nurse insisting that it was time to close and that she could no longer attend to the waiting patients.
The Municipal Health Officer, Dr. James Ndyanabo, was called in to intervene and calm tensions. He said he tried to stop the nurse from leaving the facility, but she reportedly handed the keys to a security guard and departed.
Dr. Ndyanabo noted that this was not the first time the nurse had been warned over alleged misconduct, revealing that previous concerns had been raised about her conduct at the facility and that disciplinary measures had been discussed before.
He explained that although the facility uses an electronic system to register patients receiving medication, internet and power outages had disrupted its operations. Staff had been instructed to use manual procedures whenever the system was unavailable rather than turn patients away without medication.
The health officer also expressed serious concern over reports that some patients had threatened to assault the nurse following the incident, noting that such threats posed a risk to staff safety at the facility.
Following the controversy, Sister Vastina Aringanyira was assigned to take over the dispensing unit to ensure uninterrupted service delivery.
Meanwhile, the Central Division Senior Assistant Town Clerk, Ainomugisha Coleta, cautioned civil servants against misconduct, warning that those found responsible would face disciplinary action.
About the Author
