BY MATHIUS KAHUNGU
The leadership of Kagando Hospital in Kisinga Town Council, Kasese district has asked the Chief Administrative Officer and the District Health Officer to help the facility in advocating for the redeployment of more Medical Officers, Specialists and Consultants by the Government.
The withdrawal of government health workers from private and non-profit (PNFP) facilities in Uganda happened following a 2018 directive from the Ministry of Health, although the full implementation, which involved a phased withdrawal, was still ongoing as of 2021. The ministry cited low staffing levels as the reason for the withdrawal.
By 2023, the district was in the process of phased withdrawal, with some health units having had only one doctor removed out of two, for example.
However, during the last financial year, Kasese District Local Government embarked on a move to withdraw some of its staff from PNFP medical facilities.
In a comprehensive report that was presented to the Kasese District Chief AdministrativeOfficer together with the District Health Officer who had visited Kagando Hospital yesterday, Rev. Can. Dr. Uzziah Maate Kiriaghe, the Executive Director for Kagando Rural Development Centre (KARUDEC) observed the need for the two district officials to supplement the efforts of South Rwenzori Diocese in advocating for and seconding Medical Officers, Specialists and Consultants from the government.
Established in 1965, by an Africa inland Mission (AIM) by a physician Carl Becker, Kagando Hospital is a private not for profit Health facility (PNFP) operating among other projects of Kagando Rural Development Centre (KARUDEC) under South Rwenzori Diocese with a capacity of 250 beds.
According to Rev. Can. Dr. Kiriaghe, who also doubles as the Principal Tutor at Uganda Christian University- Kagando University College, explained to the Chief Administrative Officer, Paul Walakira and the District Health Officer, Dr. Amon Bwambale, that the said Medical Personnel are currently too expensive to be hired locally since the health facility does not have sufficient funds to run all the activities and services.
Rev. Nason Mugisa, the Hospital Administrator and Human Resource Manager at KARUDEC, asked the Chief Administrative Officer to work closely with the political wing to maintain Kiburara – Kagando Road that becomes muddy and impassable during the rainy season, hence making the facility very heard to be accessed.
Responding to the concerns, Mr. Walakira, the District Chief Administrative Officer and Dr. Amon Bwambale, the Kasese District Health Officer, applauded Kagando Hospital for her preventive and curative care services to the community.
They noted that despite the strict government policy to withdraw her workers from private not profit facilities, they would try to engage the Ministry of Health to amend the policy in order to have the hospital’s request answered.
ENDS