Sub County chairperson closes two health facilities over lack of drugs
Mr Ssenyonga holding a padlock to close the facility on April 25, 2023. PHOTO | GERTRUDE MUTYABA
What you need to know:
- The closed facilities are; Mitete Health Centre II and Kibengo Health Centre II in Mitete Sub County. Staff at both facilities claim they last received drugs from National Medical Stores (NMS) last December.
Mr Baker Byayi Ssenyonga, the chairperson Mitete Sub County in Sembabule District has closed two lower public health facilities over lacking drugs.
The closed facilities are; Mitete Health Centre II and Kibengo Health Centre II in Mitete Sub County. Staff at both facilities claim they last received drugs from National Medical Stores (NMS) last December.
According to Mr Ssenyonga, equipment at both facilities is at stake because the health staff report in the morning and leave the facilities open and only return in the evening to close them.
“Government injects a lot of money in purchasing equipment to be used by patients, however, there is laxity by the staff which may lead to loss of the equipment. Once thieves realize that nobody is available, the equipment will disappear and no one will take responsibility,” he said in an interview on Wednesday.
Mr Ssenyonga said there is need for the government to elevate both facilities to Health Centre IIIs so that there is enough staff to attend to patients and also increase medical supplies.
Mr Ronald Zziwa, the Mitete Sub County chief said that the drug stock out has greatly affected their communities; some residents have succumbed to treatable illnesses in the past four months due to lack of drugs.
“We have many people who have succumbed to malaria, especially children and we really don’t know when the government will distribute the drugs,” he said.
Mr Charles Matovu, the Sembabule District health officer, said the NMS regional coordinator and informed him that medical supplies will be dispatched by end of this week.
“The stock out has cost us a lot, but we now have assurance that we will get some drugs soon,” Mr Matovu said in a telephone interview on Wednesday
A section of public health centres across the country have continued to suffer drug shortages despite recent supplies made by the government two months ago.
During the February drug deliveries, some health centres in remote areas were not considered and many local authorities claim they last received drugs late last year.
