Rukungiri – The ailing state of government health facilities in Rukungiri municipality is worrying municipal leaders.
Rukungiri municipality has 6 public health centers of which 3 are at level 2, 2 at level 3 and 1 at level 4.
The 6 public health facilities not only serve people from Rukungiri municipality but the entire district of Rukungiri.
A team of municipal councilors took a tour to these health centers to assess their state in terms of service delivery during the course of this week have raised a red flag over the deteriorating health care service delivery system.
At Rwkabengo health center 3 in southern division Rukungiri municipality, the team led by Mr Gideon Turyamubugame, councilor representing Kanyinya ward in the municipal council were shocked to learn that the pit- latrine at this facility is shared by both patients and health workers.
The team also observed the facility has no maternity ward, has one staff house, no offices, health workers lack gloves, sanitizers and other materials.
“I am so sorry that I am reporting this information to media people as it appears on the ground. The reason why I am doing this is that as leaders we need to get a solution to these unending problems” Mr Turyamubugame said.
At Karangaro health center 2 in western division Rukungiri municipality, patients are welcomed by a busy environment, rotting garbage.
The facility also has water problems, no electricity, no functional toilet among others.
At Kitimba health center 3 in western division Rukungiri municipality, there is a problem of water, electricity, on maternity ward and limited manpower.
Other health centers that were visited by this team are Marumba health center 2, Rukungiri health center 4 ,Rwentondo health center 2 but the conditions at these health centers are not different from the ones at Karangaro, Kitimba and Rwakabengo health centers.
Mr Gideon Turyamubugame in white and Mr Innocent Rwbarondesa both Rukungiri municipal councillors at Rwkabengo health center 3 in southern division Rukungiri municipality. This health center is also one of the poor stated health facilities in Rukungiri municipality. Photo by pearl edits.
Mr Innocent Rwbarondesa, Councilor representing Kinyasano ward in the municipal council said all the visited health facilities are in a sorry state and their conditions are alarming and it needs immediate attention.
“All health centers that we visited are in a sorry state, health workers don’t have masks, gloves, no sanitizers, no staff houses and some lack maternity wards”. Mr Rwbarondesa said.
Mr Rwabrondesa added that people seeking treatment at these health centers risk their lives because of its sorry state.
“It is a great risk for someone to seek any medical assistance at these health centers because they are in a sorry state and someone may even contract other illnesses”.He noted.
Ms Naume Aleshemeza youth councillor in the municipal council said the hygiene at the visited health centers compromises the lives of common people .
” The general health care system in the visited health centers is collapsing because their situation is so wanting to the extent that the hygiene has gone down .I think people who are seeking medical assistance from there are risking their lives because they are likely to contract illnesses resulting from poor hygiene” .Mr Aleshemeza said.
The Rukungiri municipal council mayor Mr Charles Makulu attributed the sorry state of public health centers in the Municipality to financial strains making us unable maintain the health facilities in the municipality”.
“Apparently we operate in financial strains, maintaining and sustaining a health facility mostly in these days of post elections is something not easy but am assuring the public that all public health centers will be worked on “. Mr Makulu said.
He also called for calmness saying that they are yet to receive support from the ministry of health to support their health centers financially.
The Rukungiri district health officer Dr. Akasima Mucunguzi said as the district health department we are aware of this problem but it has partly been attended to.
“We know we still have some gaps to fill as far as streamlining health care service delivery is concerned and we call for patience from the public because we are soon renovating Dr. Rwkabengo, Karangaro health center 3″. Dr Akasima said.
On the issue of staff houses, medical materials, the Dr Akasima said, he has already informed the district top leadership and ministry of health people as well.
” I informed the district and the ministry people and we are therefore waiting for the response from them . However am going to assist the health workers with medical materials as we wait for more from the ministry people”. Dr Akasima added.
