KAMPALA – The Rukiga District Woman Member of Parliament, Hon. Dr. Sylvia Alinaitwe, has called upon the Government to consider the district’s far-to-reach communities under the Uganda Intergovernmental Fiscal Transfer (UgIFT) Program for the establishment of health facilities.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The legislator raised the matter following a comprehensive statement by the Minister of Health, Dr. Chris Baryomunsi, on the status of implementation of the health component under the UgIFT Program nationwide.
According to the Minister’s statement, the Government has successfully completed all 373 Health Centre IIIs targeted under the first phase of the UgIFT programme, achieving 100% of its target and marking a major milestone in health infrastructure development.
He noted that the massive expansion, which involved both new construction and upgrading of existing Health Centre IIs, has increased the proportion of sub-counties with access to a Health Centre III from 61% to 78%, representing a remarkable improvement in healthcare accessibility for millions of Ugandans.
However, Dr. Baryomunsi acknowledged that significant challenges persist, revealing that 488 sub-counties still lack a Health Centre III, 125 constituencies remain without a Health Centre IV, and more than 1,000 existing health facilities require urgent rehabilitation.
Hon. Dr. Sylvia Alinaitwe rose to highlight the plight of Rukiga District, specifically the communities of Kibanda in Kamwezi Sub-county and Buchundura in Kashambya Sub-county, where residents are forced to trek long distances to access available health facilities.
“Mr. Speaker, the people of Kibanda and Buchundura are cutting through stretches of difficult terrain just to reach the nearest health facility. These communities have been left behind, and I humbly request that they be considered under UgIFT II so that they too can benefit from the Government’s commitment to bringing healthcare services closer to the people,” Hon. Dr. Sylvia noted.
The MP also expressed gratitude to the Minister for his previous visit to Kashambya Health Centre III, where a number of requests were made by the community, including the urgent need for an ambulance to serve the district.
Cue in: Dr. Sylvia On Rukiga Health gaps. ENG
Minister Dr. Chris Baryomunsi responded while assuring Parliament that health remains a critical national priority and that his ministry is fully committed to addressing the gaps raised by legislators across the country.
He further affirmed that the Government will work hand in hand with all Members of Parliament to improve health service delivery nationwide, ensuring that no constituency is left behind, and pledging to visit some facilities to get first-hand information.
Cue in: Baryomunsi On HealthCare. Eng
The Minister announced plans for one-on-one engagements with MPs to obtain first-hand health information from their districts, ensuring health programs proceed on track and respond to actual community needs.
“My ministry is planning to organize one-on-one engagements with the MPs to obtain first-hand information on the health status in their respective districts. This will ensure that implementation of our health programmes remains on the right track and directly addresses the actual needs of our communities,” the Minister said.
Cue in: Baryomunsi On Engagements. Eng
The Minister unveiled far-reaching reforms, including plans to upgrade all Health Centre IVs to community hospitals with staffing rising from 49 to 130 health workers, and to deploy doctors at Health Centre III level, with staffing norms revised from 19 to 55 workers per facility.
Despite recruiting 4,628 health workers under UgIFT, current staffing remains at only 34 percent of the newly expanded structure, revealing a significant and persistent gap in meeting approved health facility norms.
Minister Chris Baryomunsi raised serious concerns over persistent drug shortages despite increased allocations and issued a stern warning against health workers stealing medicines meant for ordinary Ugandans.
The Government has since halted new Health Centre II construction to prioritize higher-level facilities, while Parliament debates ensuring no community is left behind in the quest for quality healthcare.
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