ORUKA HEALTH CENTRE RELIEVES COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN  NWOYA

Oruka Epicenter/Oruka Health Centre III (Photo By: Desire Alimocan)

Desire Alimocan

Nwoya district

For years, sickness meant an 8-kilometre journey for the people of Oruka Subcounty in Nwoya but that burden has been lifted with the community takeover of the Epicenter health center built by The Hunger Project Uganda.

Launched in July 2023, under the Ministry of Health with the support from the Hunger Project in partnership with the community of Oruka Subcounty and the District Local Government, the Oruka Health Centre III which is one of the 7 pillars of the Oruka Epicenter has stood to offer health care services to the local communities of the Subcounty and even outside as it has been brought closer.

The Country Director, The Hunger Project Uganda, Irene Naikaali narrates how the journey that now is a success started in 2019 with the community of Oruka and Nwoya District.

According to her the Hunger Project Uganda had several meetings with the community and district where they were able to identify what challenges the community was facing and how they could partner to help them out. It is from there that they came up with the water First, Food Second projects, the health center together with other programs that are embedded within the epicenter.

“So, we felt the time was right for us around 2019 and we started with having a district entry meeting at the district where we took the district leader through our epicenter methodology, we took them through the vision, commitment and action workshops, which is the flagship of our program. It’s a mindset-changing workshop that guides communities on a journey to creating a shared vision, a common vision for their communities and then be able to come up with action plans, action points over a period of time to enable them to address the deepest issues that are creating hunger and causing it to persist. So, during that initial meeting with the district, we kind of aligned interests because what we were proposing was in alignment with the district development plan and so they looked at us as a very ideal partner to work with on the continuation of this journey in the rehabilitation process,” Naikaali explained.

The Oruka health Centre III becomes a savior for the community members who had been travelling about 15 kilometers to Purongo Health Centre III or Anaka General Hospital in Anaka Town Council to get Health Care Services. This is costly and also life endangering in cases of an emergency in regards to the distance and also looking at the vulnerable people who may not afford to reach the facilities in time.

William Okot who is one of the board members Oruka Epicenter Health Unit Management Committee, says the cost to Purongo Health Centre III and Anaka General Hospital is approximately 7000 shillings and 8000 to 10000 shillings respectively, which cost has been reduced to 1000 or 2000 shillings only for people in critical conditions.

“We have the staff who are being paid by government, and not only that one, from the diseases which are actually disturbing our community. At least the level has reduced. And even at first, people used to go from our health canter to Anaka general hospital, which is a little bit far away from where we are staying. But bringing this health facility within our locality has improved a lot. And some minor illnesses are being treated from here, unless it is a serious illness, that’s where we can always get referral to Anaka hospital or another hospital. And actually, we are very glad to the Hunger Project Uganda for what they have done,” he added.

Lakwo Tonny Omony, the project officer at the Oruka epicenter, also adds that there have been reduced death rates among children because of the closeness of the health facility.

“We have a health center that the Hunger Project constructed and we are happy that the government has taken it up, it has helped our mothers so much in that they now come and get ante-natal services, immunization, and we see a reduction in infant mortality rate as a result of Malaria,” Lakwo said.

The health facility has since been receiving patients and it is evident that the facility received 7,538 recorded outpatient consultations with 117 safe deliveries in 2024. Monthly, the facility records about 20 ante-natal visits.

Meanwhile, in terms of power supply, the facility uses power lighting which also runs a solar vaccine refrigerator and an expanded diagnostic capacity Complete Blood Count (CBC) Machine.

Country Director The Hunger Project Irene Naikaali (Centre) together with Nwoya District Officials Signing Documents at the facility handover on 02^nd/10/2026 at Oruka Epicenter. ( Photo By: Desire Alimocan)

The Epicenter attained her self-reliance on Friday, 02^nd October,2026 when The Hunger Project Uganda withdrew their support to the epicenter after attaining a 91% self-reliance status, making it the 11^th out of the 13 epicenters in Uganda to transition to self-reliance. The facility and its programs remain under the management of the community and the district authorities. Beside the health Centre III, other pillars or programs of the epicenter include women empowerment, food bank, SACCO, water project.

While at the Facility handover and celebration, the Nwoya District Resident Commissioner Emmanuel Omara urged the local government to maintain its operations for sustainability.

“I request and urge the local government to ensure that the plan for the O&M, Operation and maintenance for the sustainability of the intervention.”

Future Plans:

Naikaali also revealed that The Hunger Project is currently constructing an epicenter in Amuru District which they expect to be completed by early next year 2027, and the full program implementation continuing to 2031, when they hope to transition to self-reliance.

Written by newsroom-radiopacis