Kalongo Hospital

Kalongo Hospital
Uganda Catholic Medical Bureau
Geography
Location	Kalongo, Agago District, Northern Region,  Uganda
Organisation
Care system	Private
Hospital type	Community
Services
Emergency department	I
Beds	350
History
Founded	1934
Links
Lists
Other links	Hospitals in Uganda

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.

Location

The hospital is located in the town of Kalongo, Agago District, Acholi sub-region, in Northern Uganda. This location lies approximately 155 kilometres (96 mi), by road, northeast of Gulu, the largest city in the subregion.^[1] Kalongo lies approximately 395 kilometres (245 mi), by road, north of Kampala, the capital of Uganda and the largest city in that country.^[2] The coordinates of Kalongo Hospital are:3° 2' 28.00"N, 33° 22' 16.00"E (Latitude:3.04111; Longitude:33.37111).

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.

The hospital was started in a grass-hut by Sister Eletta Mantiero, a Comboni Missionary Nun, as a dispensary in 1934. It soon started delivering babies and attending to medical and pediatric patients.^[3] 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 a leprosarium. At that time, leprosaria were generally badly managed and led to patient neglect, especuially in Tropical Africa. 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^[update], Kalongo Hospital empolys over 300 staff members.^[4]

The hospital has been re-named Dr. Ambrosoli Memorial Hospital, after its founder. In 2005, nearly 58,500 outpatients were served and nearly 13,400 others were admitted. 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.^[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^[update], the school has a student body of about 120. The school is closely affiliated with the hospital.^[6]

External links

• Location of Kalongo Hospital At Google Maps
• Website of Agago District Administration

See also

• Kalongo
• Agago District
• Acholi sub-region
• Hospitals in Uganda
• Giuseppe Ambrosoli

References

1. ^ Road Distance Between Gulu And Kalongo With Map
2. ^ Map Showing Kampala And Kalongo With Distance Marker
3. ^ Kalongo Dispensary Opened In 1934
4. ^ Kalongo Hospital Employs Over 300 People
5. ^ Profile of Kalongo Hospital
6. ^ About St. Mary's School of Midwivery

Coordinates: 03°02′28″N 33°22′16″E / 3.04111°N 33.37111°E / 3.04111; 33.37111