Health centre II gets Shs889m upgrade

Residents of Agururu “A” 3 parish in Western Division, Tororo Municipality, can now breathe a sigh of relief after the government flagged off construction work to  upgrade Kyamwinula Health Centre II to health centre III on Monday.

The construction, which is being undertaken by the Ministry of Health, with support from Uganda Intergovernmental Fiscal Transfers programme, at cost of Shs889m, is to ensure adequate infrastructure at the facility so as to improve service delivery in the area.

The project manager of Rak Bold Edge Joint Ventures LTD, the contractor, Mr Edger Mukata, said works include construction of a maternity ward, male, female and children’s wards, laboratory room, staff houses and a toilet. He said the project is expected to be completed within six months.

Locals said if the facility is upgraded, it will reduce maternal deaths as it will come with a comprehensive package of maternal and laboratory services.

Ms Esther Asale, a resident of the area, said they have been walking long distances to Tororo hospital to access maternal services.

“Some of our women have died in the hands of traditional birth attendants because they fear walking that long distance to Tororo hospital,” Ms Asale said during the ground-breaking ceremony.

Mr Micheal Okongo, the district councillor representing Agururu Parish, said the government should also consider allocating an ambulance to the facility to facilitate referral for emergency cases.

“This area is hard-to-reach and it has been isolated further after Uganda Civil Aviation Authority fenced off Tororo airfield, locking out the community, so we need special attention,” he said.

Mr Ivan Kwenyasa, the officer-in-charge of the health facility, said many mothers have been delivering at homes with the help of traditional birth attendants.

“The upgrading of the health facility will be a big relief to the local communities because many were delivering from home, hence putting their lives at risk,” he said.

Mr Kwenyasa added they were forced to offer ART services after discovering that some of the patients enrolled to ART had abandoned treatment because of the distance they had to travel  to access it at Tororo hospital.

“The facility receives an average of 300 patients on a daily basis but most expectant mothers are usually referred due to lack of either equipment or space,” Mr Kwenyasa said.

The Tororo Municipality MP, Mr Apollo Yeri Ofwono, said records indicate that the area has the highest cases of  maternal deaths in the district.

“We are so grateful to the government for considering our cry because this is going to increase the number of women who deliver safely and reduce maternal  deaths,” he said.

The district chairperson, Mr John Okeya, asked the contractor to ensure the project follows the required standards, warning that any shoddy work will not be acceptable.

“We shall offer you all the necessary support but we shall not commission or receive the facility if shoddy work is detected,” he said.

The Tororo Municipality Mayor, Mr Kennedy Orono Nyapidi, appealed to the contractor to employ locals.

He also asked the municipal engineers to monitor the works and give technical guidance where it is required in order to ensure there is value for money.