SIRONKO – The only health centre in Buyobo Sub-county, Sironko District has failed to operate due to lack of essential medicine for the last 10 years, a local newspaper reports.
Commissioned in 2009, Buyobo Health Centre II is the only health facility in the sub-county with completely no drugs, leaving residents to trek about 10 kilometres to access the nearby Buwasa Health Centre IV and Budadiri Health Centre IV.
Residents accuse the district leaders and the ministry of Health for failing to equip the facility and leaving patients in.
According to the daily, Ms. Harriet Nagudi, a pregnant mother of six months, said hundreds of residents in the area are suffering by travelling long distances to access treatment at the nearby health centres.
“Expectant mothers are dying due to lack of drugs and other logistics at the facility. Malaria is on increase and people especially pregnant mothers cannot get services at the facility,” Ms. Nagudi said, adding that mothers giving birth away from Health facilities put their newborn babies at risks of contracting HIV/AIDS since the traditional birth attendants are not equipped with the right medical equipment.
A nurse at the health facility, who preferred anonymity because she is not supposed to talk to the media, acknowledged the problem and said the facility does not benefit from the National Medical Stores.
“As medical workers, we are there at the facility full time from Monday to Friday although there are no drugs. We are writing for them. We refer patients to a nearby health centre or drug shop to get treatment,” she said.
The nurse said the health facility is meant to serve about 15,000 patients per month but due to lack of drugs it serves none.
The nurse blames the mess on district leaders who fail to follow-up the matter at the Ministry of Health.
The Sironko District Health Officer, Dr. Nicholas Wabomba, said Buyobo Health Centre II gets drugs through Buwasa Health Centre IV.
“I wrote to the ministry of Health to upgrade that health centre by next financial year. Let our people be patient,” said Dr. Wabomba.
