Kalongo Hospital

Kalongo Hospital, also known as Dr. Ambrosoli Memorial Hospital, is a hospital in Northern Uganda. It is a private, community hospital, serving the town of Kalongo and surrounding areas of Agago District, Pader District and parts of Kitgum District.[1]

Kalongo Hospital
Uganda Catholic Medical Bureau
Geography
LocationKalongo, Agago District, Northern Region, Uganda
Coordinates03°02′41″N 33°22′21″E
Organisation
Care systemPrivate
TypeCommunity
Services
Emergency departmentI
Beds350
History
Opened1934
Links
Other linksHospitals in Uganda

Location

The hospital is located in the town of Kalongo, Agago District, Acholi sub-region, in the Northern Region of Uganda. This location lies approximately 160 kilometres (99 mi), by road, northeast of Gulu, the largest city in the sub-region.[2] Kalongo is located approximately 462 kilometres (287 mi), by road, northeast of Kampala, the capital of Uganda and the largest city in that country.[3] The geographical coordinates of Kalongo Hospital are: 03°02'41.0"N, 33°22'21.0"E (Latitude:3.044722; Longitude:33.372500).[4]

Overview

Kalongo Hospital is a private, non-profit, community hospital owned by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Gulu, and is accredited by the Uganda Catholic Medical Bureau. It is administered by the Sisters of Mary Immaculate.[5]

The hospital was started in a grass-hut by Sister Eletta Mantiero, a Comboni Missionary Sister, as a dispensary in 1934. It soon started delivering babies and attending to medical and pediatric patients.[6]

In 1957, Dr. Fr. Giuseppe Ambrosoli, an Italian physician, surgeon and catholic priest, began the transformation of the dispensary into a full-fledged hospital. At that time the dispensary was treating many leprosy patients. Dr. Ambrosoli revolutionalised the care for leprosy patients, by admitting them to the same hospital as other patients, instead of confining them to a leprosarium. At that time, leprosaria were generally badly managed and led to patient neglect, especially in Tropical Africa.[6]

Today, the hospital is a 350-bed facility, that admits patients in the disciplines of Internal Medicine, General Surgery, Pediatrics and Obstetrics/Gynecology. As of January 2010, Kalongo Hospital employed over 300 staff members.[7]

The hospital has been renamed Dr. Ambrosoli Memorial Hospital, after its founder. As of October 2020, it averages 26,012 annual outpatients visits, with 11,796 annual inpatient admissions. Annual maternal deliveries average 2,665, with a caesarian rate of 15.3 percent. The hospital operates on income derived from patient fees, donations and annual government subsidies. However, no patient is turned away because of inability to pay. On average, patient fees account for approximately 9.8 percent of total hospital annual income and the Government subsidy accounts for about 18.4 percent of annual hospital income.[5]

In 1959 Dr. Fr. Giuseppe Ambrosolio established  St. Mary's School of Midwifery, with a view of someday in the future handing over the care of the patients to local Ugandan staff. As of July 2011, the school had a student body of about 120. The school is closely affiliated with the hospital.[8]

See also

References
  1. Lifegate (20 May 2020). "With bare hands, how Uganda's Kalongo Hospital is fighting the coronavirus" (Translated from the original Italian language by Patrick Bracelli). Milan, Italy: Lifegate.com. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  2. Google (24 October 2020). "Distance Between Gulu And Kalongo With Map" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  3. Google (24 October 2020). "Road Distance Between Kalongo And Kampala" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  4. Google (24 October 2020). "Location of Kalongo Hospital" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  5. Uganda Catholic Medical Bureau (24 October 2020). "About Dr. Ambrosoli Memorial Hospital". Nsambya, Kampala, Uganda: Uganda Catholic Medical Bureau. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  6. Hope2OneLife (2014). "History of Dr.Ambrosoli Memorial Hospital, Kalongo" (PDF). Hope2OneLife.Org. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  7. New Vision (27 January 2010). "Museveni hails church over health, education". New Vision. Kampala. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  8. St. Mary’s Midwifery Training School (October 2020). "About St. Mary's School of Midwifery Kalongo". Kalongo, Agago District, Uganda: St. Mary’s Midwifery Training School. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
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