By Davis Mugabi

Patients at Butabika Hospital are surviving on Shs 6,187 per day for three meals – breakfast, lunch and supper.

The Executive Director of the Hospital, Dr. Juliet Nakku, says that the facility has 313,000 patients. These are fed annually at an average cost of Shs 6,187, which includes breakfast, lunch and supper. However, she says the ideal cost of feeding each patient should be Shs. 15,000 for three meals daily.

While appearing before Parliament on Tuesday morning, Dr. Naku asked Parliament to increase its budget for meals to Shs 4.7Bn, against the Shs2.439Bn that has been availed. 

“The current inpatient numbers are averaging 1200 daily in admission as against the bed capacity of 550. These patients get 3 meals per day, which means we have to improvise within the available budget. There is need to increase this budget, since food is part of the treatment and the hospital takes full charge of patient feeding,” said Dr. Nakku.