Only 10% of Our Health Workers Access On-Site Accommodation-Rukungiri district Boss Kyomukama

Rukungiri: Only 10% of the 499 health sector staff in Rukungiri district and municipality have access to accommodation at their workplaces.

This was revealed by the Rukungiri district LCV Chairperson, Geoffrey Kyomukama, during his state of the district address to the council on Wednesday August 28, 2024.

The health sector staff includes medical officers, allied health professionals, nurses, and others. 

Kyomukama also highlighted several challenges facing the district’s health sector, including inadequate staffing, which currently stands at only 63%. He noted the absence of a district hospital, insufficient essential supplies, and lack of transport for Health Centre IIs and IIIs as some of the major impediments to better health services.

He also pointed out that many health facilities are in urgent need of major renovations, while hard-to-reach areas make it difficult for staff to remain at their posts. Additionally, the district suffers from lack of well-equipped laboratories and radiology services, as well as insufficient capital development funds for infrastructure maintenance and renovation.

Kyomukama stated that the district authorities have sought assistance from the Ministry of Health and other relevant ministries. However, many of the district’s priorities in the health sector, such as improving staffing levels from 63% to 75%, providing staff accommodation, upgrading Health Centre IIs to IIIs, and installing basic laboratory equipment, remain unfunded.

Rukungiri district and Municipality have a total of 92 health facilities, 56 of which are government-owned, while 36 are run by Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs).