Africa-Press – Uganda. More than 150 patients of Butiaba Health Centre III in Buliisa District are stranded after the district authorities ordered the closure of the facility on Wednesday.
Mr Nelson Neisye, the Buliisa District health officer, said the facility, which had been relocated to Butiaba Primary School in September 2020 following flooding of the actual health centre, can nolonger operate in its current location as schools have resumed.He also said the hospital itself is still flooded.
“Since the semi-candidates resumed, medical workers at the health centre were finding it hard to continue operating at the school,” Dr Neisye said.
He added that the district is looking at securing a new place to set up a temporary health centre.
Mr Moses Kahwa, the officer-in-charge of Butyaba Health Centre III, said they have suspended their operations until the district finds another place to relocate the hospital.
Residents have been advised to seek treatment at Biiso Health Centre IV, which is about 20km away.
Mr Muhammad Seiko, a resident of Buliisa town, blamed government for delaying to sort out the issue.
Mr Robert Mwesigwa, another resident, said expectant mothers are unable to access any maternal health services thus that puts their lives at risk.
“Mr wife is expecting. We are both worried about what will happen when her delivery time comes” Mr Mwesigwa said.During the heavy rain in September last year, Butiaba Health Centre III was flooded as the water levels on Lake Victoria rose.
More than 3,800 people in Buliisa District were displaced by the floods and blame the Ministry of Disaster Preparedness for not supporting them as they sought shelter in schools and churches.
A number of government projects were also affected by the floods.Mr Stephen Birahwa Mukitale, the Buliisa MP, said: “The construction of two oil roads by the Uganda National Roads Authority has also stalled.”
