RUBANDA – District Health Officers (DHOs) from the Kigezi Sub-Region have called for the dignified handling of health officers suspected of involvement in corruption, warning that continued public humiliation could negatively impact public confidence in the health sector.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!This was contained in a memorandum of understanding by the DHOs, read to Health Minister Dr. Chris Baryomunsi during the Regional Joint Health Review Engagement held at Volcano Hotel in Rubanda Town Council, Rubanda District.
Kabale District Health Officer Dr. Gilbert Mateeka expressed concern over the public humiliation of health workers merely suspected of corruption in the ongoing nationwide “Expose the Corrupt” campaign.
His concern comes amid the campaign implemented by Local Government Ministers Balaam Barugahara and Justin Nameere, in which several government officials, including health workers, have been filmed answering tough questions, handcuffed, and interdicted.
Dr. Mateeka affirmed support for the anti-corruption fight but appealed for careful handling of cases involving health workers, saying wrongful accusations and public embarrassment could erode public confidence in the health system.
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Minister Dr. Chris Baryomunsi concurred with the District Health Officers and pledged to raise their concerns with the relevant authorities, stressing that the presumption of innocence must be upheld.
The Minister further cautioned that internal conflicts within government institutions could allow some individuals to exploit loopholes in the anti-corruption campaign to settle personal scores.
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Meanwhile, former National Drug Authority Board Chairperson Dr. Medard Bitekyerezo called for more stringent measures against corruption in the health sector, particularly regarding the theft of drugs in public health facilities.
Dr. Bitekyerezo blamed the top leadership at health facilities for laxity in monitoring and supervision, which leaves culprits with the opportunity to steal government drugs.
“People are no longer stealing drugs in small amounts. We have intercepted lorries full of stolen drugs, and those people involved in the theft of drugs are usually nurses, pharmacists, and the gatekeepers,” he said.
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Rubanda District is hosting the 4th Annual Kigezi Regional Health Sector Joint Performance Review Mission (JRM), which runs for three days, having started on Tuesday, September 1, 2026.
The JRM is convened by Kabale Regional Referral Hospital on behalf of the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with regional health departments and development partners.
The Joint Review Mission (JRM) is mandated to assess healthcare service delivery, rank district performance, and identify solutions to key health challenges affecting communities.
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