Milton Mwisaka, the senior medical social worker at Jinja Regional Referral Hospital, has raised concerns over a growing number of patients abandoned by their attendants. According to Mwisaka, an estimated 10 to 15 patients are left unattended in various wards each month, severely hampering their recovery.
Many of these patients, often terminally ill, face immense challenges meeting basic healthcare needs such as maintaining personal hygiene. This neglect frequently leads to depression, worsens their health conditions, and triggers severe mental health challenges.
A health worker, speaking anonymously due to lack of authorization to comment officially, revealed that most abandoned patients suffer from multiple health issues, including septic wounds, broken limbs, non-communicable diseases, and terminal illnesses. The absence of attendants, who play a critical role in coordinating follow-up care, often results in premature deaths.
“The most affected patients are those battling mental health issues and non-communicable diseases. They are often tossed between different specialized clinics, worsening their conditions,” the health worker explained. “Patients with attendants, however, can navigate these challenges and achieve partial or full recovery.”
The plight of abandoned patients is starkly illustrated in the case of Goretti Nalubega. Admitted to the hospital’s psychiatric ward in July 2024 after a mental breakdown, Nalubega had relocated from Budo in Wakiso District to Jinja to support her boyfriend’s fish business. However, persistent conflicts led to her mental health issues and subsequent hospitalization.
During her stay, health workers discovered she was pregnant and due in November. With no family or friends visiting, a volunteer caretaker assisted her during labor. Tragically, Nalubega fled the ward shortly after giving birth and was hit by a Boda Boda rider in Jinja Town.
She was readmitted with severe wounds, a broken foot, and worsening mental health. Currently, she lies helpless in her hospital bed, relying on the goodwill of other patients’ attendants for food and basic care. Despite these efforts, her recovery remains slow, and hospital staff have been unable to trace her relatives.
Mwisaka shared the hospital’s struggle to reunite patients with their families, using radio and social media platforms to appeal to relatives. However, the response has been minimal. “Psychosocial support from loved ones significantly supplements medical treatment and quickens recovery. Sadly, some relatives only return after death, spending lavishly on funerals while neglecting their loved ones during their time of need,” Mwisaka lamented.
He also highlighted cases where patients deliberately hide their identities to avoid disclosing terminal illnesses to their families, fearing judgment or abandonment. “Some patients conceal their true identities from both relatives and health workers, frustrating our efforts to trace their families,” Mwisaka explained.
To address these issues, the hospital provides psychosocial support to abandoned patients, counseling them on the importance of involving loved ones in their recovery. Counseling services are also offered to families to reduce stigma and create an environment of acceptance and care.
Mwisaka called for community sensitization to encourage families to remain committed to their loved ones during difficult times. “Healing is not just a medical process—it is a journey that requires compassion and the presence of family,” he concluded.