By Morish Dramadri

Arua city

Arua catholic diocese has launched a 4billion pharmaceutical warehouse construction project that targets to reduce the cost of medicines in the region of West Nile and beyond. This is a partnership project between the diocese and the Joint Medical Stores undertaken with a soft loan funding from Missio Invest.

While launching the project at the diocesan headquarter on Sunday, July 09, 2023 Bernard Awichi the diocesan management consultant revealed that the project is not only intended to create opportunities for people but also improve on the financial ability of the diocese. “We are undertaking a project that will not only bring jobs to the people around, not only improve the infrastructure but as well also improve the financial ability of the diocese. This is a pharmaceutical warehouse which will be one of the biggest in the region; in the next six to seven months we shall come back here to launch the project. The project is to a tune of about 4billion”. Awichi said.

Ali Aseki the head of operation for Joint Medical Stores Arua branch applauds the diocese for welcoming their idea of putting up a pharmaceutical warehouse for the region. “We just sold an idea and didn’t known that diocese would come up with a very nice structure like this. JMS is committed to work together with the diocese so that we see this project comes to success.” Aseki surprisingly said. 

But Rt. Rev. Sabino Ocan Odoki the bishop ordinary of Arua diocese assures the people of the diocese that this project will reduce the cost of medicine and makes it affordable. “What we are doing is going to make our medicine affordable because we can buy in bulk and store in bulk and will supply not only in West Nile but also Democratic Republic of Congo especially the eastern part and also parts of South Sudan. Experience has already shown that there is need for medicine, so we have accepted to provide the storage so that the medicine can be at affordable cost”, the Bishop assured. 

 
Stakeholders during the launch of the warehouse project

Peter Debele, the former Resident District Commissioner for the then Arua who doubles as the current diocesan development forum secretary implores the Christians in the diocese to embrace all the diocesan projects. “All that we are saying is let us support all the projects in the diocese. I know many of us say there is too much work in the diocese, so what does this mean? It means we have to work very hard”. Debele advised.

The other components of this multibillion project include the main gate, a generator house, a restaurant and environmental greening among others whose works are expected to commence in about 6 months’ time.

COVER PHOTO: Artistic impression of the pharmaceutical warehouse By Morish Dramadri