A fifty four year old woman in Soroti has lost her right arm after a unqualified person who has been masquerading as medical personnel injected her with a wrong drug he claimed could treat malaria.
The woman identified as Janet Aliano of Arusi village in Arapai sub county – Soroti district, was reported to have been suffering from malaria on 24th April 2015 at a time when she went to seek for treatment at a private rural clinic in Tukum trading centre owned by Dr. Justine Elangot.
Dr. Justine administered the injection that subsequently paralyzed her arm which was eventually three weeks after, on Monday amputated at Soroti regional referral hospital.
According to Rev. Sr. Dr. Margaret Ajiko, a senior surgeon at Soroti regional referral hospital, by the time of admission last week, her arms were already dead and the only solution is amputation.
Dr. Ajiko lamented as a regional hospital, they are overwhelmed by patients treated by quack doctors from the villages because the local people prefer using them due to economic reasons and yet some of these unprofessional medication can turn to be complicated and result into loss of life.
Dr. Ajiko pointed out and advised that it’s always better for patients to go to government health centers.
However, according to Mr. Juma Hassan Nyene, the East Kyoga police spokesman the suspect Justine Elangot is under police custody waiting to be taken to court.
Nyene told Kfm that Elangot has been operating a private clinic without a license and he is not qualified medical personnel.
He says Elangot is just a school dropout who has been working with his brother in one of the drug shop around their locality.
In an interview, Mr. Elangot, admitted that he is not qualified medical personnel and had no license but said he has been operating in that clinic for the last 15 years.
According to one of the woman’s son Mr. Francis Eyobu who is attending to her mother in Soroti hospital, their mother is a widow who has been bringing her children single handedly, now that she has lost her hand even getting school fees for the children is going to be impossible.
He appealed to anybody out there to come to their rescue.
Speaking at ward II, where the patient is admitted, Nursing assistant, Mary Alaro told the Kfm that the patient is steadily now recovering and very soon she will be discharged.
