Kabarole district has failed to achieve its targets in the health sector. In June 2010, the district set up priorities in different sectors which it planned to achieve within in 6 months. However some plans have never been achieved, which has affected delivery of services to the beneficiaries.
The district focused on the health sector and priority was put on improving health services through the Primary Health Care Programme. Under the programme, Village health teams were supposed to be established, immunization of children and also support some private health units operating in rural areas.
Faith Byamukama, the Karamabi sub county village health team coordinator says that more than thirty health volunteers were recruited but can’t start work because they have never been trained by the district. She says that in areas where they were trained, the health volunteers are not facilitated to offer services.
Byamukama says that in some communities, the services of village heath teams are important because some residents are not aware of proper sanitation and hygiene practices, which has resulted into outbreak of diseases like cholera and dysentery. Kenneth Irumba, a resident of Burungu village says that they expect the health volunteers to move around the villages to offer treatment but none have done so. He says that the failure of the VHTs to offer treatment has forced him and other members in the community to travel long distances to the health centre II for treatment.
Irumba says that the district stop exciting the communities if they are sure they will not be able to achieve its goals on time.
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In some of the communities, there hasn’t been any immunization activities carried out because parents can’t afford to travel long distances to health centers to immunize their children. The district had planned to carry out the activities at the homes.
David Busobozi, the in-charge of Kitojo Medical centre says that the district hasn’t provided medical equipments and drugs for the past six months. Busobozi says that that the hospital lacks gloves, syringes and contraceptives and patients are told to bring their own equipments or are turned away.
Richard Mugahi, the district health officer Kabarole blames the district for not fulfilling their targets especially in the health sector. Mugahi says that the delay by the district to meet its targets affects the planning of the health department. He also says that he has often requested for funds, but there hasn’t been any response from the district.
Juma Nyende, the Chief Administrative Officer Kabarole says that the targets are not met in because of some challenges like lack of funds and shortage of staff, which the district can’t predict.
He says that says there are budgetary cuts on the district budget, which forces the district review funds allocated to the health sector. Nyende says that 450 million shillings was allocated to Primary Health Care programme, but the district budget committee cut it to 200 million shillings, which isn’t enough.
