Masindi health units operate in darkness

Health centre heads in Masindi District have asked government to provide electricity or solar systems in the facilities to improve service delivery.

During a meeting last week, Ms Catherine Nyangoma, the officer-in-charge of Kisalizi Health Centre III, said they are forced to use torches during night emergencies.

Ms Nyangoma said the solar system at the health centre is non-operational due to old batteries.

“We do not have funds to replace those batteries and for buying a new solar system. We want district or sub-county authorities to intervene,” she said.

Ms Nyangoma said she had notified the technical planning committee of Bwijanga Sub-county about the problem, but had not received any positive response.

Staff at the health facility also share urinals with patients.

Mr James Kiiza, the Kyamaiso health unit management committee for Bwijanga, said they have been in a power blackout for a year, and as a result, the facility had become a habitat for bats and rats.

Mr Kiiza also said the facility lacks water. “We don’t have any water source, and the ceiling is also in poor condition,” he added.

Ms Alice Kusemererwa, the officer in-charge of Kyamaiso Health Centre, said she used the Shs1.2m meant for primary healthcare grant to repair the solar system.

“We agreed we cannot wait for government and used the primary health care funds to repair the solar system,” Ms Kusemererwa said.

Mr Charles Kaija, the in-charge of Budongo Health Centre, said the facility lacks a lighting system.

“We don’t have solar and the community is losing trust in our health centre,” Mr Kaija said.

When contacted, Mr Patrick Baguma, the assistant health officer, said the administration will prioritise the maintenance of solar systems in all the health centres in the next financial year.

Mr Godfrey Mirimo, the municipal medical officer, said the council received Shs150m from primary healthcare docket to repair all the solar systems in town health centres, adding that they would also build pit-latrines in Kibwona and Biizi health centres.

The solar system at Kitanyata Health Centre II recently got mechanical problems.

At the inception of this financial year, the district administration passed a policy to have water at every health centre but it has not yet been implemented.