Kasese residents demand medical supplies

Kasese residents and local leaders have urged government to restore sufficient medical supplies to Kilembe Mines Hospital.

The hospital has been grappling with drug shortage since May 2022, after the expiry of the tripartite agreement between the Ministry of Health, Kilembe Mines Hospital, and the Uganda Catholic Medical Bureau (UCMB).
Following the agreement’s expiration, the Kasese Catholic Diocese initiated its health facility, Mt St Mary’s Hospital, in Kasese Town.

 Subsequently, on December 2, 2022, Dr Diana Atwine, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, directed the deactivation of the credit line of Kilembe Mines Hospital from Joint Medical Stores (JMS). She further directed the transfer of EMHS Shs353,491,221 to other health facilities in Kasese Municipality and Kasese District.

However, local leaders in Kasese strongly opposed this decision. In January 2023, the health committee of Parliament visited Kilembe Mines Hospital and recommended to the Ministry of Health that the hospital be reinstated on the list of facilities qualifying for essential medicines and health supplies.

Unfortunately, these recommendations were never implemented.
Contrary to the Parliamentary Health Committee’s suggestion, in a January 31, 2023 letter, the Minister of Health, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng, addressed the chairperson of the Parliamentary Health Committee, stating that the government had decided to withdraw all its support from Kilembe Mines Hospital.

Minister Aceng cited the proximity of Kilembe Mines Hospital to the River Nyamwamba catchment and the facility’s history of flooding as key reasons for  the withdrawal of support.
Consequently, the discontinuation of drug supplies to the hospital has forced residents to travel considerable distances to access healthcare services.

Ms Stella Kighema, a resident of Namhuga East Cell, emphasised the pivotal role of their primary healthcare facility, in assisting expectant mothers from mountainous areas.

“Sometimes our people go into labour or fall sick when there are no vehicles on the road. Patients are carried on stretchers from the mountain to Kilembe and then eventually into Kasese Town for health services. That is why we appeal to the government to do everything within their power to revive our hospital,” she said.

Ms Joselin Mbambu, a member of the Village Health Team, said: “When the hospital was still in Kasese Town, whenever I would mobilise women to go for antenatal services, they would say they do not have transport fare to take them to Kasese Town. Because we also don’t have resources to give them, many were resorting to being delivered by traditional birth attendants.”

She further said although the facility is back, it has limited infrastructure.
Ms Pioza Biira, a resident of Katiri in Bulembia Division, said they sometimes have to purchase drugs from private clinics .
“My grandchild recently fell sick in the night. However, when we brought him to Kilembe Mines Hospital, we had to buy some of the drugs from another drug shop,” she said.

Mr Aaron Kule, a 45-year-old resident of Mbunga Sub-county, expressed dissatisfaction with the government’s decision.
“So many people get their treatment from this facility, and then someone makes a decision that is meant to deny us these health services. It is very unfortunate,” he said.

Mr Dan Zehekiah Mbahimba, the Kilembe Mines Hospital Administrator, said Kilembe Mines Hospital heavily relies on money collected from patients and the support of well-wishers. 

He, however, said these funds cannot maintain the hospital and provide effective healthcare.
“We are attending to a large number of patients, and unfortunately, we are not in a position to supply them with all the medication they need since our credit line was deactivated. We also recently received some support from the Daktari Project, amounting to around Shs130 million, which was a significant boost. Nevertheless, we still need the government for us to fully function,” she said.

Mr Eliphaz Bukombi Muhindi, the Kasese District chairperson, said plans  are underway to engage the government to reconsider its decision.
“You cannot close down a health facility the same way you can close a bar,” he said.

Mr Muhindi also said government had issued a directive for the town clerk to withdraw all staff from Kilembe Mines Hospital effective July 1, 2023. However, local leaders deemed this impractical and advised the chief administrative officer and the town clerk to maintain the health workers.