Masindi residents want health centre II elevated

MASINDI-Residents of Kikingura town board in Bwijanga Sub-county, Masindi district are calling for Kikingura Health Centre II to be elevated to level III to enable them to get better services.

Speaking during the recent public accountability meeting organised by Recreation for Development and Peace [RDP] Uganda at Kikingura trading centre, the residents argued that the population of the area has increased, putting pressure on the health centre.

They explained that the health workers at the facility are very committed and hard-working, adding that the challenge is on the requirements to use and the frequent drug stockouts.

“We are about to get a town council and therefore we need a health centre III so that we get more drugs and medicines. We have complained over the little drugs sent here. But this challenge can be addressed if the health centre is elevated,” said Solomon Kiirya Baruzarire, the secretary LCI, Kikingura trading centre.

Monica Katusiime, a resident of Kikingura village said that most people who are suffering are women, noting that Bwijanga health centre IV and other health centre IIIs which offer advanced services are about 10 kilometres away from their area.

“Moving to these health centres is a very big challenge given the poor network. Since the population has over increased even the health centre should be elevated,” she appealed.

Pascal Isingoma Agaba, the chairperson LCI, Kyamarolere village wondered why the health centre II doesn’t get enough drugs yet the population of the areas keeps on increasing.

“We see people coming to collect data in the villages. We thought the drugs sent to health facilities should be matched with the population, but this doesn’t happen. What is the importance of collecting this data?” Asked Isingoma.

Nicolas Babweetera, the district councillor representing Bwijanga Sub-county said the only solution to the challenge of little drugs sent to the facility is to elevate it to centre III, since elevation comes with additional funding.

“There is increased influx of the people because the centre is developing. Drugs which are sent to the facility are exhausted within three days. A health centre 2 facility cannot sustain this population,” said Babweteera.

But Michael Mudu, the Masindi district senior health educator accused the people of misusing drugs.

“Many of you when you hear that drugs have come, you rush to the health facilities to pick them, even if you are not sick,” he said.

However, Mudu’s claim didn’t go well with the residents who insisted that drugs sent to the facility are few to handle the demand of the population.

Responding to the issue of the elevation of the facility from health centre II to III, Phionah Sanyu the chief administrative officer Masindi district, said elevating a health centre is not a one-day event but a process.

“There are factors considered to elevate a health centre including the distance and the population among others. Your leaders should sit and do the necessary and also come out with the health centre II which should be elevated because there are many health centre IIs in the area,” said Sanyu.

Lydia Nyamata, the acting executive director RDP Uganda noted that they decided to organize a public accountability meeting such that the people can be able to interact with their leaders on different issues affecting service delivery, especially in the health and education sectors.

“We decided to come here after realising that there are many issues affecting you in accessing services in the health and education sectors,” she added.

Some of the issues raised during the meeting included the poor performance of government schools, negative attitude by the community towards education and late reporting by the health workers in Kyamaiso health centre II.

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

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