Swaibu Sulayiti Sulambaaya, the health rights activists who has been staging a hunger strike to protest the poor delivery of services at Masaka Referral hospital has been arrested and dumped at his home. Sulambaya was picked up by police this morning; outside the office of Masaka Resident District Commissioner where he has been pitch camping since Tuesday, without food.
He was arrested on the directives of Bamusedde Bwambale, Masaka Resident District Commissioner. Bwambale says that the district security committee Sulambaaya removed and returned to his home because his accusations against the management of Masaka Hospital are being investigated.
Bwambale explains that there was no point for the activist to continue with hunger strike because it exposes him to death. He also says that he has persuaded the activists to end the hunger strike and resume his diabetes medication.
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Bwambale also gave the activist some unspecified amount of money to buy some food and end the hunger strike. But Sulambaya has not given up vowing to continue with the hunger strike.
Speaking to URN at his room at Kyabakuza, Sulambaaya said that despite the fact he has been receiving some fruits from well wishers he will not eat them until the hospital management apologizes for mistreating patients.
Sulambaaya claims that he is still strong enough to continue his hunger strike. He says he survives on smoking cigarette which according to him has given him rest and relaxation of the mind. Dr. Florence Tugumisirize, Masaka hospital director who has been under fire for poor health service delivery says Sulambaaya’s strike will not change anything because the hospital has been doing its best.
Tugumisirize accuses Sulambaaya of abandoning medication at the hospital where he was admitted for hernia surgery. Recently patients and boda boda motorists staged a protest against the management of Masaka referral hospital citing harassment. This week, officials of the Uganda Human Rights Commission interrogated several Hospital officials including Dr. Tugumisirize over the strike.
