By Sarah Mawerere
Many patients in Uganda especially those in the rural areas still yearn for better health services despite government’s expansion of health infrastructure at different levels across the country.
It is through such gaps that Rotary EClub Ntinda in conjunction with C-Care International Hospital Kampala, Rotaractors, CJ Odur Foundation and Uganda Bureau of Statistics organized a camp at Kiwoko Medical Center in Nakaseke district.
Over two hundred and ninety patients from within Kiwoko and the surrounding areas, accessed free treatment and other health services.
Unit President Rotary EClub Ntinda Ann Komugisa emphasized that community health service programs are part of their commitment to supporting populations by bringing essential services closer to them.
She noted that partnerships between service organizations, medical professionals, and local communities play an important role in addressing social challenges such as access to healthcare.
Challenges of accessibility, affordability and outreach persist, leaving the unprivileged unable to receive the quality healthcare they need.
The outreach attracted people from different villages who sought medical attention for a range of health conditions. Medical personnel and volunteers worked throughout the day attending to patients and providing advice on preventive health practices to improve community wellbeing.
C-care International Hospital Kampala led a team of health service providers to render free treatment and care for the patients.
Residents who benefited from the health services welcomed the initiative, saying the services helped them receive medical attention that they would otherwise struggle to afford. Many also expressed hope that the Kiwoko Medical Centre will continue to provide reliable and affordable healthcare to people in Nakaseke District and the surrounding areas.
The Kiwoko Medical Centre was constructed by Alex Sebunya, a medical doctor who was born and raised in Kiwoko. Dr. Sebunya established the facility as a way of giving back to the community where he grew up. The Centre is aimed at providing relatively affordable medical services to the less privileged residents in Kiwoko and nearby communities who often face challenges in accessing quality healthcare.
The facility was officially opened by Balam Barugahara, the Minister of State for Youth and Children Affairs, who commended the initiative and emphasized the importance of community participation in improving social services.
Minister Barugahara noted that such initiatives help to strengthen government efforts to improve healthcare access, especially in rural communities.
He however sounded a warning to the general public to stop luring young girls into marriage after getting pregnant.
He discouraged teenage girls stop indulging in sex with young boys who cannot take care of them, saying teenage pregnancy make many girls drop out of school and lose on their future development. That even old women who fall in love with young boys should stop it.
Dr. Simon Aliga, the District Health Officer of Nakaseke, recently called upon Ministry of Health to consider elevating Butalangu Health Center III to Health Center IV status in response to the growing health challenges faced by the community.
He said such health outreaches boost heath care and services where gaps exist, adding that it is through such gaps that well-wishers, community leaders, and development partners often step in to complement government efforts in improving healthcare services.
Apart from the treatment and care given at the medical camp, other items like Mama Kit for expectant mothers, wheel chairs to support mothers in labour and the elderly and other materials were given to support the medical center in the provision of healthcare at the Kiwoko Medical Centre. Lynn Odur from CJ Odur Foundation lastly highlighted the support extended.
