Masaka national referral hospital has reportedly tortured out patients over identity cards. Dozens of patients in Masaka were on Wednesday this week left stranded at the gate of Masaka Regional Referral Hospital after they were denied entry because of lack of identification.

The development came after new guidelines announced by the hospital’s director, one Dr. Florence Tugumisirize, that require out patients and their attendants to present identification or letters from the local councils before they are allowed into the hospital.

Dr. Tugumisirize says that the move is intended to deter “wrong elements” who want to sneak into the hospital to cause chaos.

The doctor claims that the hospital received information that Muhammad Ssegirinya, an opposition activist, had mobilised “political thugs” to enter the hospital disguising as patients and launch a protest in the hospital.

But the Police restrained several patients and their attendants who were blocked from entering the hospital for lack of identification. Some of the people who were attending to their sick relatives cried after they were blocked by the police from entering the hospital after exiting to buy food. The health minister, Christine Andoa says that there is no policy requiring patients to carry LC letters and identity cards to hospital.

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