Africa-Press – Uganda. Residents of Namutumba have called on the Ministry of Health to intervene in the ongoing bickering between politicians and the district technical staff over the elevation of Magada Health Centre IV.
The facility was in August elevated a health centre IV. The decision to elevate the health centre followed the creation of the Busiki North Constituency in 2020.
However, some residents say politicians and the district technical staff have turned the facility into a battleground, which is subsequently stifling development.
“We expect our leaders to fight [to address] poor service delivery and lack of drugs in the facility, but not for supremacy,” Mr Genga Waiswa, a resident of Mazuba Trading Centre, says.
He says a section of leaders in the district are mobilising residents to protest a decision by the technical staff to hand over the construction of staff houses to the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) Engineering Brigade.
He asks the Ministry of Health to suspend funding to the facility until a meeting is held between the technical staff and politicians aimed at resolving the bickering.
Ms Resty Naigaga, a resident of Kamwenge Village in Magada Sub-county, however, says the fight is over the Shs400m sent by the government to construct the staff houses.
She says the lobbying for the elevation of the facility was done by the area Member of Parliament, Mr Yona Kayogera, but the technical staff, led by the District Health Officer (DHO), Dr James Kirya, want to take credit for the initiative because they claim to have written several letters to Ministry of Health demanding the same.
Mr Kayogera concurs, saying he presented the issue in Parliament early this year.
“It is okay for whoever claims to have played a vital role, but the people of Busiki North know my contribution very well and it is the reason we are having a Health Centre IV today,” he says.
However, Dr Kirya says the technical staff are not fighting for supremacy, but also deserve credit for their “technical role”.
“The DHO’s office wrote reports notifying the Ministry of Health about our need and showed them where we need help and how. So, we work with politicians and other stakeholders as a team,” he says.
He adds that Namutumba District now has three health centre IVs, including Nsinze in Busiki, Ivukula in Bukono and Magada in newly-created Busiki North constituency.
Dr Kirya says a health centre IV comes with a number of benefits and services, including a theatre, mortuary, maternity ward, male, female and children wards, blood bank and staff houses.
Mr David Mukisa, the district chairperson, however, says credit should go to his council and executive members for passing the resolution which prompted the Ministry of Health to act.
“Whoever says they worked hard to bring a health centre IV should first thank the district council because, without its endorsement, it would not have been granted,” Mr Mukisa adds.
Mr Godfrey Nabongho, the Kiwanyi District councillor, who doubles as secretary for finance, says it was the district council under the guidance of the chief administrative officer that passed the resolution and the deputy Resident District Commissioner, Mr James Kyomya, followed up the matter at the Ministry of Health.
Mr Kyomya describes the clashes as “unfortunate”, saying a section of politicians need to be reminded of their roles as leaders.
“It is politicians who are fighting for supremacy before their voters because they want to give accountability, not technical people,” he says.
He adds: “As district leadership, we are happy that our people, especially those in Busiki North Constituency, are soon going to get services offered at the facility and reduce the money they have been spending on transport to Nsinze Health Centre IV and Mbale Regional Referral Hospital.”
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