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The Department of Health Care

Overview

Amuria has two major(big) health centres of Amuria Health Centre IV and Kapelebyong Health Centre IV as much as it has no district Hospital. At Sub county level, at least each sub county has a health centre that can serve the local people. Amuria Health Centre IV established in 1932 and has over 120 patient turn over each day. The Health Centre offers In and Outpatient services, Antenatal, PMTCTs (Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission), Immunization,Deliveries,ART (Anti-Retroviral therapy ) Services, Tuberculosis Services and Functional theatre for operations. Patients from Kaberamaido, Soroti also come to this health centre for treatment.

Mission

To provide high quality and cost effective health care services to the community for sustainable development.

Major Achievements:

  • Renovation of buildings of Out Patient Department, Maternity ward, and staff houses. Automation systems are in place to make work easier like Computers.
  • There are 2 doctors who are both at the health centre.
  • The department has an ambulance which is now one year old and is based at Amuria Health Centre IV.
  • With the staff recruitment in 2007, the health centre has major staff at the station. These include midwives, nurses, personnel, lab attendants, nursing assistants and support staff.

Key Challenges facing Amuria and Kapelebyong Health Centre IVs

  • No theatre equipment: Lack of equipment in theatre for effective management of ailments and related complications. While the situation may be fair in Amuria Health Centre IV, Kapelebyong Health Centre IVs situation is actually worse.
  • Power unreliability: Sterilization of medical equipment and Computer works can’t be handled due to power problems.
  • No Medics houses: Shortage of staff houses and sad to note is that even the existing ones are small to accommodate quite a number of medics.
  • No block for HIV/AIDS: HIV/AIDS Clients have no specific block for A.R.T (Anti-Retroviral Therapy).It is true that both antenatal and HIV/AIDS Clients are served from the same place. The situation is the same for both Health Centers. This is a serious health hazard as it exposes the expectant mothers to rather unfortunate situations that may harm them for the rest of their lives.
  • Amuria Health Centre IV has no Administration block for all administrative work save for Kapelebyong Health Centre IV.
  • Inadequate Surgical Wards: There is no surgical ward in Amuria Health Centre IV.
  • Tuberculosis patients have no separate ward and yet some come for treatment at the acute stage.
  • Inadequate drugs that are provided by National Medical Stores. We were informed that sometimes only pain killers like panadol is provided and is rather not enough as compared to the ever increasing population.
  • Transport Problems: There is only one motorcycle that serves the whole Amuria Health Centre IV. This has hindered effective administration of the department.
  • Road Network: Kapelebyong Health Centre IV has a very poor road network and is itself very remote. This partly explains why the sub county should be turned into a district for closer attention.
  • Lighting system: Poor lighting system in the wards is another key challenge. The maternity ward in Amuria Health Centre IV has a solar system which lacks batteries and can’t work without them. Kapelebyong Health Centre IV, the General ward has no lighting system.
  • Furniture: Lack of furniture at the health centre. Some patients have to sit on the floor as they wait to be served.
  • Waiting Rooms: Small waiting room that can’t serve the ever increasing number of patients.
  • Store: There is no store for medical equipment including drugs. This affects the quality and effectiveness of drug administration. Some staff have also not been confirmed in their positions and it has deterred service delivery.
  • Funds: Inadequate funding from the Government. Initially it was Ug shs 5-6 Million per quarter but now Ug Shs 10-11 Million. This is inadequate as the Ambulance and other departments are operational 24 Hours and are costly to operate.
  • Wards Not enough: Both Health Centers lack enough wards. Kapelebyong Health Centre IV has no ward for HIV/AIDS Clients. The Children ward itself doesn’t exist as well.

Proposed Solutions:

While at the health center the medical officers cited these as key to improving service delivery.

  1. More Staff: Staff Recruitment and or training of existing medics to capacitate them with skills that can be used to serve the local people.
  2. Road Network Improvement: UNRA (Uganda National Road Authority) needs to prioritize Amuria-Kapelebyong road as an urgent matter.
  3. Renovation of Staff Houses: Existing houses should be renovated and new ones constructed to make work much.
  4. Lighting System: Provision of lighting system in both health centers especially with the proposed rural electrification system.
  5. Drug Supply: More drugs should be offered especially antibiotics and anti-malarial. Skin infection drugs should also be included as essential to be supplied.
  6. Theatre Equipment Provision: Kapelebyong Health Centre IV should be equipped with theatre equipment. Currently, no operation is done there and patients are referred to Amuria Health Centre IV ,Soroti Regional Referral hospital which is 38-39 Kilometers away.
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