The contractor at the Entebbe National Isolation Centre project has been directed to fix all the mechanical and electrical works which do not meet the specifications.
The development was realized during a pre-handover inspection of the site conducted by a team of engineers and architects from the health ministry led by Eng. George Otim, the commissioner of health infrastructure, Dennis Kiberu, an Architect and Engineer Paul Kalanzi, a Mechanical Engineer.
The project manager Patrick Rubongoya, and one of the engineers from BMK Uganda Ltd Frank Lutalo, led a team on a guided tour of the facility to ascertain whether the contractor (BMK Uganda Ltd) has completed the works in accordance with the contract specifications.
However, the team identified mechanical and electrical engineering faults as well as carpentry and joinery defects and directed by the contractor to fix them within ten days.
They tasked the contractor to replace lights, taps, toilet pans and hand washing basins that do not meet the specifications in the bill of quantities. The team also inquired from Rubongoya whether he approved the items before and after installation on site. However, in his response, Rubongoya said that he approved the samples before installation but reject them after the works because different items were installed.
Kalanzi said that the contractor must fix sockets that indicate when lights are off or on and replace the fluorescent tubes with LED lights to save energy and maintenance costs. Rubongoya also noted that he has severally asked the contractor to make changes in vain.
"Whenever I tell them to change this or that. These people think that I am harassing them. However, you have also come today and noted the same things. Maybe they will now do what we want," he said.
Kiberu on the other hand noted that the worktops in the kitchen and pantries, particularly in the remodeled former TB ward (Block D) should be reworked to provide space for cookers. He directed that the long neck taps be replaced because they are too high from the level of the handwashing basins and will result in spills. "People will wet their clothes while medics will wet their scrubs while washing hands," Kiberu noted.
MOH contracted BMK Uganda Ltd to refurbish the isolation and complete the works by April this year.