The construction of an 800 million Shillings Butiaba Health Center III in Buliisa district is being frustrated by lack of land where to establish the structure.
The government late last year earmarked 800 million Shillings for the construction of the health facility after the old one was submerged by floods that resulted from the rising water levels of lake Albert in 2020.
As a result, health services at the health facility were then relocated to the former Butiaba sub-county headquarters which also has limited space for both patients and the staff.
The floods submerged staff quarters, maternity, male and female wards, store, and the Outpatient Department – OPD among other facilities at the health centre. Also submerged were roads leading to the health facility making it difficult for patients to access it.
The government asked area residents and leaders to find 5 acres of land where to construct the new health facility.
However, construction of the facility is being frustrated after leaders and the community there have failed to provide the land.
Moses Kaahwa, the officer in charge of the facility told Uganda Radio Network in an interview that they have severally convinced the community to avail land for the construction of the facility in vain hence frustrating the progress of the construction of the facility.
He adds that though the contract for the construction of the health facility was given to the Uganda Peoples Defense Forces-UPDF Engineering brigade, the contractor is also stuck with the money after the community failed to avail land.
He has appealed to the area leaders to ensure that they avail land so that construction work can begin since the construction of the facility will be for the good of the area residents to receive effective health service delivery.
Dr. Nelson Naisye, the Buliisa District Health officer-DHO says it is unfortunate that the locals have failed to avail land for the construction of the health facility yet the facility once constructed will benefit them.
Moses Asaba, the Butiaba town Council LCIII Chairperson says they are doing all it takes to find land so that construction of the health facility can start soon.
He has also appealed to people with huge chunks of land in the area to come to their rescue and offer the land for the construction of the health center.
Butiaba health center receives between 1,000-1,400 patients every month including Congolese from the Democratic Republic of Congo who cross to seek for proper medical services at the facility.
The facility currently has limited space to accommodate both patients and the staff. The Health Centre III is also currently battling an acute shortage of drugs.
The facility lacks essential medicines such as anti-malaria drugs, antibiotics, vaccines, and medical supplies such as syringes, gloves, catheters, and gauze among others which health officials at the facility attributes to delayed delivery by the National Medical Stores-NMS.
The drug shortage is also attributed to the huge influx of Congolese nationals flocking the facility to access health services.