By Inyakuni Kennedy

Obongi

Obongi district local government has launched major plans of providing quality health care services to the population. The district has planned to upgrade health facilities to different levels for quality purpose.  Among the facilities to be upgraded include obongi health center IV in obongi town council to, indilinga health center ii in Aliba Sub County, Lomunga health center ii in Gimara Sub County, and iboa health center ii in palorinya Sub County.

According to Mr. Lomurecuh Dominic the obongi district health officer, the plans to upgrade the facility has started with the construction of outpatient departments and general ward at Indilinga health center ii underdevelopment Response to Displacement Impact Project (DRDIP), while at Lomunga health center ii there is ongoing construction of maternity ward, isolation facility and staff house whereas in Iboa health center, construction of maternity ward, outpatient department, staff house and latrine facilities are underway all geared towards improving health care services in the district.

He said all the facilities that have been earmarked to be upgraded all lies beyond the radius of five kilometers as required by world health organization and ministry of health in order to provide basic health care to the community. “The facility are supposed to be in a radius of five kilometers but looking at the locations of some these facility we have consider them to be hard to reach areas. Right now there are number of constructions going on in the different facilities under Development Response to Displacement Impact Project (DRDIP) support, actual some are at a level of completion,” Mr. Lomurecuh remarked.
He added: “in long term which is also the plan of ministry of health is to ensure all health center ii’s are upgraded into level iii. As we wait for that massive upgrading, we have moved on as obongi to ensure these facilities gets infrastructure which is required to operate as health center iii’s”.

Lomurecuh has attributed the good performance of health sector in obongi to the rapid development of infrastructure facilities.  He said at the time when obongi started as a district the infrastructure was about 52% compare to the current state of 75% supported by Development Response to Displacement Impact Project(DRDIP).

Mr. Aliga Ahemd, the district councilor of obongi town council who double as chairperson social service committee, said elevating obongi health center to a district hospital has already been approved by the district council to improve health service delivery to both refugees and the host community. He notes that many lives been lost while referring patients’ especial pregnant mother from obongi health center to Moyo, Adjumani, Yumbe and arua hospital for better health care services.“The call for Obongi district hospital started long time ago, the reason as to why we want health center to be upgraded is because of the distance from obongi to other district hospitals is too long when it comes to referrals. You may find when patients are referred, they end up dying on the way before to the referral points because of bleeding and other complications,” aliga said.
He added that as a health center IV, there are limits of drugs to be administered which many times force health workers to refer patients. 


Hajji Habib Buga Hkemis, obongi district LC 5 chairperson

Hajji Habib Buga khemis, the district chairperson obongi district local government said there is need upgrade itula health center iii to level iv basing on the population it serves both host and refugees. “We are appealing to government to help community in the provision of quality service. Its government policy that every sub county should have a health center iii but in the case of obongi, we have sub counties without health center iii’s,” Mr. added.
He notes obongi is a home for over one hundred sixty thousand south Sudan refugee.

Recently, The Minister of Health, Hon. Jane Ruth Aceng told the Committee on Health that the upgrades will be halted because of the cut in government development funding for local governments. Aceng made the revelation while presenting the Ministerial Policy Statement of the Ministry of Health on Wednesday, 05 April 2023. According to Aceng, the ministry will not undertake any upgrade of the health centers in 2023/2024 financial year because the development budget has been cut to Shs152 billion from Shs233 billion. 

Obongi County Member of Parliament, Hon. George Bhoka said that it is disturbing to know that upgrade of health centers has not been prioritized. “If we put about 50 per cent of our resources in primary healthcare, we would relieve our district and regional hospitals,” said Bhoka.

COVER PHOTO: Obongi District headquarters Sign post By Inyakuni Kennedy