Stakeholders in Muko Sub County, Rubanda district, are advocating for the elevation of Muko Health Centre III to the status of a Health Centre IV to enhance healthcare services in the area. Situated on the slopes of Karegyere along the Kisoro-Kabale road, Muko Health Centre III is a Non-Profit Health Facility established by Muko Catholic Parish in the Kabale diocese in the early 1990s.
Serving approximately 2000 patients from Muko, Bufundi in Rubanda, and neighboring Bukimbiri and Kanaba in Kisoro district, the facility boasts cancer screening equipment, according to Rev. Fr. Felix Odeda, Muko Parish Priest, Vincent Turihabwe Kibuye, Muko Catholic Parish Council Chairman, and Leonard Nkundizana, the facility’s in-charge.
Advocates argue that elevation to Health Centre IV status would enable the facility to offer surgical services, thus reducing the need for patients to seek treatment at larger hospitals in Kabale. Stakeholders, led by Rt. Rev. Calist Rubaramira, conducted a fundraising ceremony on Sunday to bolster the facility’s standards. Following the collection of 196 million shillings, Bishop Rubaramira assured stakeholders of their commitment to sustaining Health Centre IV status once the facility is upgraded.
Moses Mwongyera Kamuntu, Member of Parliament for Rubanda West County, shared a personal testimony of how the facility saved his life during a battle with measles in 1995. Kamuntu emphasized that elevating the facility to Health Centre IV status would benefit other individuals, especially accident victims, given its strategic location along the highway. He also highlighted Muko HC3’s significance as the primary healthcare provider for the minority Batwa community in the area, offering services free of charge.
Dr. Abdon Birungi, Rubanda District Health Officer, advised stakeholders to formally petition district authorities to initiate an assessment of the facility’s eligibility for elevation. Birungi outlined the criteria for Health Centre IV status, including the presence of an emergency theater and an adequate number of qualified healthcare workers. If deemed eligible by district authorities, the request would be forwarded to the Ministry of Health’s permanent secretary for further consideration.
