Katakwi district boss urges govt to address obstacles crippling health sector

KATAKWI- Katakwi district LCV Chairman, Geoffrey Omolo has asked government to deal with obstacles hampering the effective and equitable health services in the country’s health sector.

Omolo said that although for the past years, there have been notable achievements in the health sector through interventions by government and non-government organisations, understaffing, drug stock-outs and poor infrastructure remain key hindrances to effective and equitable service delivery in public health facilities across the country.

“Most facilities across the country, especially in hard-to-reach areas, have no access to electricity, have limited infrastructure, and lack basic facilities such as toilets and incinerators,” explained Omolo.

Omolo made the remarks end of last week while addressing guests at the handover of 60 hospital beds to Katakwi district by Vice President Jessica Alupo Epel.

The beds are to be given to three counties, with each county getting 20 beds.

Katakwi district has 111 public health facilities ranging from health centres II, III, IV, and general hospital.

Alupo said the donation of beds was in line with government’s commitment to improving service delivery in the health facilities in the district and Uganda at large.

The donation of 60 hospital beds comes barely three months after Katakwi district received an assortment of medical equipment from USA Military department to boost its health service delivery.

In his opening remarks, Omolo thanked government through the Ministry of Health for giving the district beds and asked government to continue addressing the challenges facing public health facilities.

He said a number of public health facilities lack essential drugs, have few beds for patients, and face the challenge of a poor road network.

Emmanuel Ongola, the Katakwi district health officer said the inadequate funding, coupled with a lack of enough staff, persistent drug stock out, and inadequate infrastructure, remain a major challenge.

He asked government to will increase the number of doctors in the district general hospital to offer the much-needed medical services.

However, Alupo assured the country of government’s commitment to address the challenges hampering the provision of efficient health services countrywide.

“The officials from the Ministry of Health led by the Minister-Ruth Aceng are expected in the district to make a critical assessment and analysis of the health gaps in public health facilities so as to facilitate and address the gaps.”

In February, this year, the Health Minister, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng listed 10 challenges that she said bedevils the healthcare system in Uganda, calling for increased funding for the sector.

Aceng listed a lack of specialists, unaesthetic officers, dispensers, pharmacists, and theatre staff as well as inadequate financing.

Other issues include the rising number of local governments that also increase pressure on already established health facilities requiring further investment in the construction of new healthcare units, dilapidated health infrastructure that requires refurbishment and re-equipping, and inadequate medical equipment at many healthcare units.

Aceng said lack of state of the art imaging equipment; no hospitals in many constituencies, inadequate staffing and a weak community health workers extension system are the issues that scream for immediate attention.

The minister emphasised the need to increase funds for the Ministry of Health, saying they would solve most of the sector’s problems.

https://thecooperator.news/amuria-district-gets-shs1-2bln-to-upgrade-health-centrs-iis/

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