Africa-Press – Uganda. Lack of specialised doctors in lower health centres is one of the causes of a surge in Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) in communities, a health official has revealed.
Dr Robert Mutebi, the In-charge of Budondo Health Centre IV, says it is high time authorities think of deploying some specialists to handle the challenges of diagnosis in the health centre IVs because one person cannot be in a position to handle all patients.
“This is a community with a big population and NCDs have increased, especially among the aging population. Hypertension and diabetes, for example, are chronic lifelong illnesses, which are very expensive and take time to be treated,” he said, during a free medical camp at Budondo Health Centre IV in Jinja North Division, Jinja City on Tuesday.
Dr Mutebi said specialised medical personnel to handle dental, heart, kidney, liver, and lungs diagnosis are needed at lower health centres to decongest referral hospitals.
Dr Mutebi added: “Even when such patients are referred to regional hospitals, the specialised doctors are overwhelmed by the number seeking their services.”
Dr Susan Kikira, a senior consultant ophthalmic surgeon, who has retired from public service, said the number of eye specialists is very few in the country.
Sr Clare Ataliba, a Senior Nursing Officer at the facility, said the Computed Tomography (CT scanner), which was brought to the facility, has been lying idle for the past five years because there is no sonographer to operate it.
For that reason, Sr Ataliba says in most cases, patients who need CT scanner services are told to seek them elsewhere.
“Something needs to be done to save the lives of the people,” she added.
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